Cabbage White

We found this Cabbage White in our backyard on 15 July 2020. You can tell it is a female because it has four black wing spots. These butterflies are abundant around the world. They probably originated in the Eastern Mediterranean, and spread across Europe and Asia. They were accidentally introduced to North Africa, North America, New Zealand and Australia. Almost all types of habitat attract these butterlfies—weedy areas, gardens, roadsides, cities and suburbs (Butterflies and Moths).

Cabbage White larvae devour cabbage, kale, broccoli, radishes, and mustard crops. The English tried applying DDT to their fields, but the larvae became reisistant to the pesticide.  Bacillus bacteria have also been applied to gardens to try to beat back larvae—a bad idea since the bacteria also kill other butterflies. Pyle (2002) writes, “Better to pluck off the larvae [and] accept a little steamed protein in the broccoli…” As far as I am concerned, the Cabbage Whites can have the kale.