Cabbage White
Pieris rapae (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Pierinae
Identification: Upperside of wings white; forewing with black tip. Two submarginal black spots in female, one in male. Underside of hindwing and forewing apex evenly yellow-green or gray-green. Spring and fall short-day form is smaller, less yellow, with reduced black areas.
Wing Span: 1 3/4 - 2 1/4 inches (4.5 - 5.8 cm).
Life History: Males patrol for females. Females lay single eggs on undersides of host leaves. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: Two to three in northern part of range; 7-8 in the south. It is usually the first butterfly to emerge in spring.
Caterpillar Hosts: Many plants in the mustard (Brassicaceae) family and occasionally some in the caper family (Capparidaceae).
Adult Food: Flower nectar from a very wide array of plants including mustards, dandelion, red clover, asters, and mints.
Habitat: Almost any type of open space including weedy areas, gardens, roadsides, cities, and suburbs.
Range: From central Canada south through the United States (except Florida Keys, southern Louisiana, and South Texas) to northwest Mexico.
Conservation: Not required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Ensure control steps do not affect other invertebrate fauna.
Comments: NULL
Alternate Scientific Names:
Artogeia rapae
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 49 - 72 of 19560 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 15, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 13, 2025
Observation date: Sep 16, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 13, 2025
Observation date: Aug 11, 2025
Submitted by: Qvatch
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 11, 2025
Observation date: Aug 10, 2025
Submitted by: psmith
Region: Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 11, 2025
Observation date: Aug 09, 2025
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 09, 2025
Observation date: Aug 20, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 08, 2025
Observation date: Aug 22, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 08, 2025
Observation date: Aug 24, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 08, 2025
Observation date: Apr 22, 2018
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Natrona County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 07, 2025
Observation date: Aug 14, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 06, 2025
Observation date: Aug 18, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 06, 2025
Observation date: Aug 06, 2025
Submitted by: Santak05
Region: Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 06, 2025
Observation date: Aug 06, 2025
Submitted by: LR VanDeusen
Region: Wayne County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 06, 2025
Observation date: Aug 12, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 06, 2025
Observation date: Aug 04, 2025
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Lincoln County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 05, 2025
Observation date: Aug 10, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 03, 2025
Observation date: Aug 11, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 03, 2025
Observation date: Jul 05, 2025
Submitted by: imdavid
Region: Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 03, 2025
Observation date: Aug 07, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 02, 2025
Observation date: Aug 08, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 02, 2025
Observation date: Aug 03, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 31, 2025
Observation date: Aug 04, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 31, 2025
Observation date: Aug 01, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 31, 2025
Observation date: Aug 02, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 31, 2025
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