Large White (Pieris brassicae) lives in open fields across Europe and Asia. It feeds on cabbage and broccoli.
Fascinating facts about the Large White
- Large whites can travel farther than a marathon runner's daily run, with some individuals covering more than 800 kilometres during their wanderings. Because each butterfly usually makes two to three separate flights in a single reproductive season, the species can rapidly colonise new fields and gardens far beyond its birthplace. This extraordinary mobility fuels its status as a wandering pest, constantly reshaping where farmers must guard their crops.
- When the great white butterfly arrived in New Zealand, a two-week bounty paid $10 for each captured specimen, and the public turned in 134 butterflies. Combined with over 263,000 targeted searches and the release of predatory wasps, officials declared the species eradicated in December 2014. This swift, community-driven response shows how coordinated action can wipe out an invasive pest before it devastates local crops.
- Large whites squeeze two full generations out of a single year: the first brood emerges in spring around April, and a second wave appears in July, with a possible third if summer heat persists. This rapid turnover means each female can lay eggs multiple times, flooding fields with larvae that chew through cabbage leaves.
- Caterpillars that gorge on mustard-oil-rich crucifers become poisonous tasting to birds, and their bright stripes act like a warning sign. The large consumption of plants containing mustard oils is the specific reason they are so distasteful to predators, and the bright colouration is to signal to predators that they taste bad. This chemical shield lets larvae feed openly.
- A freshly laid egg starts as a pale yellow speck, but within twenty-four hours it darkens to a richer yellow, and just hours before hatching it turns black and the shell becomes transparent, revealing the tiny larva inside.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
At a glance
RangeEurope and Asia
HabitatOpen fields
DietCabbage and broccoli
About the Large White
As the Large White butterfly dances across the sun-drenched landscape, its delicate wings beat with a hypnotic rhythm, leaving a trail of gentle turbulence in its wake. With an effortless elegance, it flits from bloom to bloom, its piercing yellow and black markings glistening like polished jewels in the warm light, as it embarks on its relentless quest for nectar and sustenance. In its graceful, meandering flight, this unassuming creature weaves a subtle yet vital thread into the intricate tapestry of the natural world.
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