Large white

Large white
Large white eggs and caterpillars on sea kale leaf
Scientific Classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Superfamily:	Papilionoidea
Family:	Pieridae
Subfamily:	Pierinae
Tribe:	Pierini
Genus:	Pieris
Species:	Pieris brassicae

This article is for large white butterfly. For other species referred to as "Cabbage white", see Cabbage white

The female Large White butterfly, Cabbage Butterfly, Cabbage White, or in India the Large Cabbage White lays batches of 20 to 100 yellow eggs on plants in the brassica 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 brussel sprouts. The caterpillars are yellowish green with yellow lines and black spots and feed in groups in plain view on the leaf surface. They gain protection from predators by possessing distasteful chemicals.

Protection

Attacks are worst during hot, dry summers, but the risk period is any time from April to October. Inspect the underside of leaves for patches of yellow eggs, if found, crush the eggs. Chemical sprays can be used, but to prevent their need cover your plants with a fine netting such as enviromesh or voile net curtain.

Examples

A large cabbage white butterfly

Large white eggs on a Marrow leaf

Large white caterpillar