Large White

The Large White (Pieris brassicae) is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is is common throughout Europe, North Africa, and Asia to the Himalayas, often in agricultural areas, meadows and parkland. It is a strong flier and the British population is reinforced in most years by migrations from the continent. Scattered reports of the Large White from the northeastern United States (New York, Rhode Island and Maine) over the past century are of a dubious nature and indicate either accidental transport or intentional release. Such introductions threaten to establish this agricultural pest in North America.

The female lays batches of 20 to 100 yellow eggs on plants in the cabbage family and can be a pest on food crops.They seem to have a preference for cultivated varieties of Brassica oleracea such as cabbage and brussels sprouts. The caterpillars are yellowish green with yellow lines and black spots and feed in groups in plain view on the leaf surface. The chrysalis is also yellowish pale green with black spots. The species over-winters as a chrysalis. It has two broods in a year, the first is on the wing in May and June and the second in August.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_White - 04.10.2010