Cabbage White Butterfly
Scientific name: Pieris rapae
Alternative name/s:
Small White Butterfly, Cabbage Butterfly
Small White Butterfly, Cabbage Butterfly
Click to enlarge image
Adult Cabbage White Butterfly, Pieris rapae
Image: Gregory Miller
© Gregory Miller
© Gregory Miller
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Pieris
- Species
- rapae
- Subfamily
- Pierinae
- Family
- Pieridae
- Super Family
- Papilionoidea
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Class
- Insecta
- Subphylum
- Uniramia
- Phylum
- Arthopoda
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- 5 cm
Introduction
The Cabbage White Butterfly is probably the most common butterfly found in Sydney after it was accidentally introduced into Australia. It was first recorded in Melbourne in 1929 and had made it to Sydney by 1941.
Habitat
The Cabbage White Butterfly lives in urban areas, forests and woodlands, and heath.
Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia
Feeding and diet
The velvety green caterpillars of the Cabbage White Butterfly are considered a pest because they feed on cabbages and other plants found in vegetable gardens, such as cauliflower, brussel sprouts, broccoli, radishes and turnips.
Caterpillar, Pieris rapae
Image: Gregory Miller© Gregory Miller
Predators
Two species of wasp were introduced as biological control agents in the 1940s and have helped reduce the butterfly's abundance and impact.
