[Pacific Northwest Butterflies]
Cabbage White
Pieris rapae
If you see a white butterfly in urban or agricultural areas, most
likely it is a cabbage white. The Cabbage White is a butterfly inadvertently introduced
to America over a century ago. It is commonly seen in urban and agricultural areas
of the Pacific Nortwest. It is considered a garden pest as it lays its eggs on
the cultivated members of the mustard family. The eggs hatch out and become caterpillars,
which then may damage much of our crops (examples of such mustards include: cabbage,
broccoli, mustard, arugula, brussel sprouts, etc...
Paul Slichter