Error message
Unable to fetch location details at this time.
Cabbage White Caterpillar
Pieras rapae
32.5365, -94.7439
Field Notes
Description:
[The Small White's] caterpillars can be a pest on cultivated cabbages, kale, radish, broccoli, and horseradish but it will readily lay eggs on wild members of the cabbage family such as Charlock Sinapis arvensis and Hedge mustard Sisybrium officinale. The eggs are laid singularly on foodplant leaves.
Traditionally known in the United States as the "Imported Cabbage Worm", now more commonly the "Cabbage White", the caterpillars are green and well camouflaged. Caterpillars rest on the undersides of the leaves, thus making them less visible to predators.
Habitat:
It is widespread across Europe, North Africa and Asia and has also been accidentally introduced to North America, Australia and New Zealand where they have become pests on cultivated cabbages and other mustard family crops.
Notes:
Thanks to @ceherzog for identifying the species and providing a link to the Wikipedia information page.
Comments (3)