Small white - Pieris rapae - Family: Pieridae

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Small white - Pieris rapae
© Dr Chris Gibson/English Nature

A common butterfly, classed - reasonably enough - as a pest by gardeners of vegetables, the small white is found throughout England on cultivated land, parks, gardens and allotments.

The upperside of the wings is white, both sexes having a dark patch on the tip of the forewing. The male has one black spot on the forewing and the female has two. Eggs are laid on the lower surfaces of the leaves of members of the cabbage family - brassicas - and also on many wild plants including wild mignonette. The caterpillars are green with a pale yellow line running along the top. There are two generations a year. Small whites are in flight from March to November.

Food

Caterpillars: both cultivated and wild brassica leaves, especially cabbages. Wild crucifers used include garlic mustard and wild mignonette; adults: nectar.

Plants

Field scabious, Garlic mustard, Honesty, Lavender, Nasturtium, Sea-kale, Wild cabbage, Wild mignonette

Predators

Dragonflies and damselflies