3. Overview:
Cabbage White Butterfly ;
Cabbage White is the common name
related to species of Genus Pieris.
This is a widely distributed butterfly.
Considered as agricultural pest; larvae
feed on vegetable gardens and crops.
6. Order :
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is the
Order of Butterfly
and Moths.
One of the five mega
diverse orders in
class insecta. 120
families described.
Lepidoptera species
number is not
7. Order : Lepidoptera
They have two pair of
membranous wings
covered with
overlapping scales.
Type of antenna is not
similar between
species.
Having a sucking tube
mouthpart in adult
10. Family :
Pieridae
More than 1000 species in 75 genera have
been described.
Mostly white, yellow or orange in color. Pierids
display sexual dimorphism in color patterns.
This group is cosmopolitan
11. Family : Pieridae
Several species have achieved important
agricultural pest status, particularly the
small cabbage white (Pieris rapae)
There may be more than one generation
per year. Females lay columnar eggs on
leaves, buds or stems. Usually they
overwinter as larvae or pupae.
16. Pieris spp Characteristics
:
The two important species of this genus
are P. brassicae Large white and P. rapae
Small white butterfly.
These two species are distinguished by
their size, the black tips of their
forewing, also by color of their
caterpillar.
Two submarginal black spots in the
female and one in the male.
The adult typically lives about three
weeks in summer.
20. Egg:
:Egg:
Their Eggs are pale yellow,
bottle shaped and rigid.
Pieris rapae took about
twenty minutes to lay its
cluster of eggs on the
underside of some vegetable
leaves .
The number of eggs may also
be as large as 1,000.
21. Larvae:
Larvae are camouflaged
by coloration.
Bears pairs of prolegs,
there are five instars
Feeds on plants(Brassica
family-cabbage-)
Larval stage takes 17
days. And reaches 50mm
length.
Yellow spots are visible on
the sides of the instars.
22. Pupa:
The pupation stage
lasts around 11 days
The chrysalis is
about 18 to 20 mm in
length
Pupa stage lives over
the winter.
Having a rigid outer
shell.
26. Habitat and
Behavior:
Habitat is almost any type of open space,
including weedy areas, gardens,roadsides,
cities, and suburbs.
Female is active during the day, with slow
lumbering flight; male flies in a straight
line.
Smelling sense of the insect is very
specific, and in case of choice between
different cruciferous species and varieties,
The severity of cabbage white problems
can vary considerably from year to year
27.
28. References:
Books:
Cleveland P. Hickman, Jr., Larry S. Roberts, Allan
Larson (2002). Animal diversity 3rd edition
Grzimek’s animal life encyclopedia.— 2nd
edition.(2004)
Research articles:
* K. Jõgar, L. Metspalu, K. Hiiesaar, A. Ploomi, E.
Svilponis, A. Kuusik, (2009) Influence of white cabbage
cultivars on oviposition preference of the Pieris rapae
• Scott R. Smedley, Frank C. Schroeder, Douglas B.
Weibel (2002) . Labile defensive lipids from the glandular hairs
of a caterpillar (Pieris rapae)
Websites:
http://socalbutterflies.com//pieridae_html/pieris_rapae.
htm
Editor's Notes
The caterpillars of most Whites feed on various species of mustards (Family Brassicaceae), while the caterpillars of most Sulphurs feed on legumes (Family Leguminosae).
