Steve Cotterell
Large White (Pieris brassicae)
Habitat
Woodland and open spaces. The butterfly is particularly attracted to gardens by nectar-
Food
The best known foodplants are cabbage of any kind, mainly kales and cauliflowers with separate leaves rather than ball heads, and nasturtium. Other cruciferae chosen include horse radish, garlic mustard, radish, turnip and mustard.
Life Cycle
There are two, or exceptionally three, broods in the year. Pupae which have passed the winter produce butterflies as early as April and from then on butterflies will be found, as successive broods overlap, until the end of October.
Notes
One of our most prominent butterflies, the Large White is by no means the commonest British butterfly but its abundance is affected by the extent of immigration from across the Channel. Our resident population is comparatively small. Too much emphasis on destruction as a pest might in future years give us cause for regret. Modern horticultural methods take care that the larvae are unable to ravage commercial crops and gardeners can likewise keep their vegetables free from serious damage. Certainly there were once more Large Whites to be seen than there are now, even though it is still common.
The female is distinguished by the spots on the forewing: the male has only the black tips. The extent of yellow on the underside hind-