Mother Monarch

Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)

 Insect Art to promote insect development.

The Cabbage White is found in every part of North America, from Northern Canada to Mexico, and in many other parts of the world. Originally an African and Eurasian species, it was introduced into Quebec Province in 1860. In a matter of decades, the butterfly had spread across the continent. The larvae of Cabbage Whites feed only on plants containing mustard oil, principally members of the Brassicaceae family. This characteristic makes them very unpopularwith farmers, since many brassicas are food plants for humans, as well. The mustard oil renders them unpalatable to birds, certainly a reason that these butterflies are so prolific. The adults nectar on a wide variety of flowers, including those of Asteraceae, Lamiaceae and Brassicaceae.The adults illustrated here are nectaring on Blazing Star (Liatris spicata).The larvae and a pupa are shown as observed on Tuscan Kale (Brassica oleracea).

Artist: Lanis Monfried
E-mail address: laniswm@optonline.net