Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)

Fairly common statewide, this introduced species may be declining as reported numbers in the last few years have been less than a decade or two ago. Cabbage Whites have several broods in NC and may be found nearly all year, but it's usually absent in the coldest months of December & January.

Female
Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
Washington Co., NC
21 June 2006

Females have 2 spots in the forewing, and males have just one forewing spot.


Female Washington Co., NC 19 June 2004	Male Watauga Co., NC 27 June 2004


St Clair Co., MI 8 July 2003	Washington Co., NC 19 June 2004

This very worn Cabbage White had many stains on its wings, giving a pseudo-checkered appearance!

Watauga Co., NC
27 June 2004

Cabbage White Nectaring on Autumn-olive (Eleagnus umbellata)

Orange Co., NC
17 Apr 2006

Cabbage White mated pair

Caswell Co., NC
4 May 2006


Female Pettigrew State Park, Washington Co., NC 21 June 2006	Female Eagle Meadows west of Sonora Pass, Tuolumne Co., CA 11 July 2007

North Carolina Butterflies | North American Butterflies | Jeff's Nature Page

Created on ... July 12, 2003 | Updated on ... Sep 5, 2007 | jspippen@duke.edu