Large White
Encyclopedia
The Large White also called Cabbage Butterfly, Cabbage White, or in India the Large Cabbage White, White cabbage butterfly is a butterfly
in the family Pieridae
.
, north Africa
, and Asia
to the Himalayas
often in agricultural areas, meadows and parkland. It has managed to establish a population in South Africa
.
The Large White is a strong flier and the British population is reinforced in most years by migrations from the continent. Scattered reports of the Large White from the northeastern United States (New York, Rhode Island and Maine) over the past century are of a dubious nature and indicate either accidental transport or intentional release. Such introductions threaten to establish this agricultural pest in North America.
when at rest. The black markings are generally darker in the summer brood. Its wingspan is 5 to 6.5 cm.
The upperside of the male is creamy white. Fore wing is irrorated with black scales at base and along costa for a short distance; apex and termen above vein 2 more or less broadly black, the inner margin of the black area with a regular even curve; in one or two specimens a small longitudinally narrow black spot in interspace 3. Hind wing: uniform, irrorated with black scales at base, a large black subcostal spot before the apex, and in a few specimens indications of black scaling on the termen anteriorly. Underside, fore wing: white, slightly irrorated with black scales at base of cell and along costa, apex light ochraceous brown; a large black spot in outer half of interspace 1, and another quadrate black spot at base of interspace 3. Hind wing: light ochraceous brown closely irrorated with minute black scales ; the subcostal black spot before the apex shows through from the upperside. Antennae black, white at apex; head, thorax and abdomen black, with some white hairs; beneath: whitish.
and can be a pest on food crops. They seem to have a preference for cultivated varieties of Brassica oleracea
such as cabbage and brussels sprouts. The caterpillar
s are yellowish green with yellow lines and black spots and feed in groups in plain view on the leaf surface. They gain protection from predators by possessing distasteful chemicals. It has once been reported that these chemicals were mustard oils from glucosinolates in the foodplants, but this appears to be a myth since Pieris caterpillars actually suppress the formation of mustard oils (see glucosinolate
). Despite their chemical defense, large numbers are sometimes lost to the parasitic wasps such as Apanteles glomeratus, whose females attack clusters of newly hatched caterpillars. The chrysalis is also yellowish pale green with black spots. The species over-winters as a chrysalis. It has two broods in a year, the first is on the wing in May and June and the second in August.
, and Pieris deota
.
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
in the family Pieridae
Pieridae
The Pieridae are a large family of butterflies with about 76 genera containing approximately 1,100 species, mostly from tropical Africa and Asia. Most pierid butterflies are white, yellow or orange in coloration, often with black spots...
.
Distribution
The Large White is common throughout EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, north Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
to the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
often in agricultural areas, meadows and parkland. It has managed to establish a population in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
The Large White is a strong flier and the British population is reinforced in most years by migrations from the continent. Scattered reports of the Large White from the northeastern United States (New York, Rhode Island and Maine) over the past century are of a dubious nature and indicate either accidental transport or intentional release. Such introductions threaten to establish this agricultural pest in North America.
Appearance
The wings are white, with black tips on the forewings of both males and females, the female also has two black spots on each forewing. The underside is a pale greenish and serves as excellent camouflageCamouflage
Camouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
when at rest. The black markings are generally darker in the summer brood. Its wingspan is 5 to 6.5 cm.
Male
- See glossaryGlossary of Lepidopteran termsThis glossary describes the terms used in the formal descriptions of insect species, jargon used mostly by professionals or entomologist....
for terms used
The upperside of the male is creamy white. Fore wing is irrorated with black scales at base and along costa for a short distance; apex and termen above vein 2 more or less broadly black, the inner margin of the black area with a regular even curve; in one or two specimens a small longitudinally narrow black spot in interspace 3. Hind wing: uniform, irrorated with black scales at base, a large black subcostal spot before the apex, and in a few specimens indications of black scaling on the termen anteriorly. Underside, fore wing: white, slightly irrorated with black scales at base of cell and along costa, apex light ochraceous brown; a large black spot in outer half of interspace 1, and another quadrate black spot at base of interspace 3. Hind wing: light ochraceous brown closely irrorated with minute black scales ; the subcostal black spot before the apex shows through from the upperside. Antennae black, white at apex; head, thorax and abdomen black, with some white hairs; beneath: whitish.
Female
Female upperside similar to that of the male but the irroration of black scales at the bases of the wings more extended; the black area on apex and termen of fore wing broader, its inner margin less evenly curved; a conspicuous large, black spot in outer half of interspace 1, and another near base of interspace 3. On the hind wing the subcostal black spot before apex much larger, more prominent. Underside: similar to that of the cf but the apex of the fore wing and the whole surface of the hind wing light ochraceous yellow, not ochraceous brown; the black discal spots on fore wing much larger. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen as in the male.Lifecycle and foodplants
The female lays batches of 20 to 100 yellow eggs on plants in the cabbage familyBrassica
Brassica is a genus of plants in the mustard family . The members of the genus may be collectively known either as cabbages, or as mustards...
and can be a pest on food crops. They seem to have a preference for cultivated varieties of Brassica oleracea
Brassica oleracea
Brassica oleracea, or wild cabbage, is a species of Brassica native to coastal southern and western Europe, where its tolerance of salt and lime and its intolerance of competition from other plants typically restrict its natural occurrence to limestone sea cliffs, like the chalk cliffs on both...
such as cabbage and brussels sprouts. The caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s are yellowish green with yellow lines and black spots and feed in groups in plain view on the leaf surface. They gain protection from predators by possessing distasteful chemicals. It has once been reported that these chemicals were mustard oils from glucosinolates in the foodplants, but this appears to be a myth since Pieris caterpillars actually suppress the formation of mustard oils (see glucosinolate
Glucosinolate
The glucosinolates are a class of organic compounds that contain sulfur and nitrogen and are derived from glucose and an amino acid. They occur as secondary metabolites of almost all plants of the order Brassicales , but also in the genus Drypetes .-Chemistry:Glucosinolates are water-soluble...
). Despite their chemical defense, large numbers are sometimes lost to the parasitic wasps such as Apanteles glomeratus, whose females attack clusters of newly hatched caterpillars. The chrysalis is also yellowish pale green with black spots. The species over-winters as a chrysalis. It has two broods in a year, the first is on the wing in May and June and the second in August.
Similar species
Compare Small White (Pieris rapae), Pieris canidiaPieris canidia
The Indian Cabbage White is a butterfly in the family Pieridae.-Description:Male has the upperside white to pale cream-colour...
, and Pieris deota
Pieris deota
Kashmir White is a small butterfly of the Family Pieridae, that is, the Yellows and Whites, which is found in India, Pakistan, Tibet and central Asia. It is found in the NW Himalayas in Ladakh at 760 m...
.
See also
- List of butterflies of Great Britain
- List of butterflies of India (Pieridae)
- Madeiran Large WhiteMadeiran Large WhiteThe Madeiran Large White is a subspecies of the Large White, endemic to Madeira. It can reach a size from 55 to 65 millimetres. The wings are pure white with a wide black tip on the apexes of the forewings. Its natural habitat is the laurisilva laurel forest...