Species · GBIF taxon 1920496
Cabbage White Caterpillar
Pieris rapaeAlso known as Small White, Cabbage Butterfly, Small Cabbage White, Imported Cabbageworm
Cabbage white caterpillars are velvety green larvae that blend seamlessly with the leaves of broccoli, cabbage, and other cruciferous plants. They feed voraciously, chewing large, irregular holes in foliage and leaving behind distinctive dark green frass. After pupating in a slender, angular chrysalis, they emerge as the familiar white butterflies seen fluttering over gardens and fields.
HerbivoreAgricultural PestMetamorphosis
Licensed referenceJohn Tann from Sydney, Australia / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
- diet
- Cruciferous plants including cabbage, broccoli, kale, and wild mustards
- family
- Pieridae
- threats
- Pesticide applications and heavy predation by parasitic wasps
- life Span
- 3 to 6 weeks from egg to adult
LC
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- Look under leaves: Search the undersides of brassica leaves for tiny, ribbed yellow eggs or young caterpillars.
- Check for frass: Locate feeding larvae by looking for dark green, pellet-like droppings on foliage.
- Handle gently: If relocating them from garden crops, pick them up carefully to avoid injuring their soft bodies.