Small white
Pieris rapae
Conservation status: Common
When to see: April to October
About
The small white is a smaller version of the large white butterfly, with less black on the tips of its forewings. Its underside is creamy-yellow, and the female has one or two black spots on each forewing. It’s a common butterfly often found in habitats, including hedgerows, farmland, gardens, and parks, from April to October. The small white’s caterpillars feed on members of the cabbage family, such as garlic mustard and garden cabbages, but they also breed on a range of wild food plants. Interestingly, this butterfly relies less on cultivated varieties than its larger relative, the large white. During the summer, migrants from mainland Europe arrive, adding to the diversity of this species.
| See also different: | Garden butterflies |
