Small white

Pieris rapae leucosoma

The commoner of the small white butterflies with a wingspan of 32-52 mm, resembling the large white but smaller with less distinct dark tips and more yellow on the hindwing undersides. This species is often mistaken for a moth. The small lives in many different places, such as coastal farmland, ruderal areas, grassland, woodland, and scrub. Host plants are mainly members of the mustard family, including wild cabbage (Brassica oleracea), hoary cress (Cardaria draba), hoary mustard (Hirschfeldia incana), hedge mustard (Sisymbrium officinale), sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima), flixweed (Descurainia sophia), and wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum), as well as caper (Capparis spinosa), yellow mignonette (Reseda lutea), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa). It flies March through November in several broods, the flight being strong.

Video

Photographs

Attribution: Husein Zorkot