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Butterfly taxonomy (classification) The skippers The swallowtails The whites The hairstreaks, coppers and blues. Includes the Duke of Burgundy. The nymphalids, fritillaries and browns. Includes the Monarch.
Small White - imago - Pamber Forest - 05-Jul-04Wingspan
38 - 57mm
Small White

Pieris rapae
Pronunciation PEE-err-iss
RAY-pee
Linnaeus, 1758
Ref: 1550
Superfamily: Papilionoidea
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Pierinae
Genus: Pieris
Subgenus:  
Species: rapae
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Small White Clive Burrows [Clive Burrows]
Male
Small White - imago - Stockbridge Down - 01-Aug-07 (1112)
Male Underside
Small White Female - First Brood, Crawley, Sussex 17-April-07
Female
Small White - imago - Pamber Forest - 28-Jun-04
Female Underside

Introduction  

The Small White, along with the Large White, can claim the title of “Cabbage White” that is the bane of allotment holders all over the British Isles although the damage caused by this species is significantly less than that of the Large White.

Distribution  

This is one of the most widespread species found in the British Isles and can be found almost everywhere. It is relatively scarce in northern Scotland but has been seen as far north as the Orkneys and Shetlands. This species is also known to migrate to the British Isles from the continent, sometimes flying in great swarms, augmenting the resident population in the process.

It is believed that this butterfly can fly up to 100 miles in its lifetime although, undoubtedly, most butterflies will only travel a mile or two. Evidence of the mobility of this species comes from a misguided introduction in Melbourne in 1939. 3 years after its introduction, the species had reached the west coast of Australia some 1,850 miles away in only 25 generations. This species has been a pest in the continent ever since.

Annual Cycle  

There are generally 2 generations each year, with 3 generations in good years. Second brood adults have noticeably darker markings that those of the first brood. First-brood adults typically emerge in late April, peaking around the middle of May and gradually tailing off through June. The second brood, which is always stronger than the first brood, starts to emerge in early July. However, in good years, the second brood may emerge in late June and give rise to a third brood.


Habitat  

This species is found in a wide variety of habitats and can turn up almost anywhere, including gardens, allotments, parks, meadows, open grassland, and hedgerows.

Larval Foodplants  

The primary larval foodplants are Crucifers (various) (Cruciferae family (various)) and Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus). Charlock (Sinapis arvensis), Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata), Hedge Mustard (Sisymbrium officinale), Hoary Cress (Lepidium draba), Wild Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) and Wild Mignonette (Reseda lutea) are also used.

Nectar Sources  

Adults feed primarily on Thistles (Cirsium spp. and Carduus spp.). Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scriptus), Bugle (Ajuga reptans), Daisy (Bellis perennis), Dandelion (Taraxacum agg.), Fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica), Greater Stitchwort (Stellaria holostea), Hawkweeds (Hieracium/Hypochoeris), Ragged Robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi), Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), Red Campion (Silene dioica), Red Clover (Trifolium patense) and Sanfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) are also used.

Imago  

This highly-mobile butterfly can turn up almost anywhere and is a familiar sight in gardens across much of the British Isles where it is attracted to various nectar sources, in particular those with white flowers.


Small White Female - Second Brood, Crawley, Sussex 29-July-05
Photo © Vince Massimo
29-Jul-2005
Small White Female - First Brood, Crawley, Sussex 17-April-07
Photo © Vince Massimo
17-Apr-2007
Small White Male - First Brood, Ballard Down, Dorset 18-May-08
Photo © Vince Massimo
18-May-2008
Small White Male - Second Brood, Birling Gap, Sussex 25-August-06
Photo © Vince Massimo
25-Aug-2006
Small White - imago - Hartslock - 15-Aug-06 (0702)
Photo © Pete Eeles
15-Aug-2006
Small White - imago - Pamber Forest - 05-Jul-04
Photo © Pete Eeles
05-Jul-2004
Small White - imago - Pamber Forest - 28-Jun-04
Photo © Pete Eeles
28-Jun-2004
Small White - imago - Stockbridge Down - 01-Aug-07 (1112)
Photo © Pete Eeles
01-Aug-2007
Small White Clive Burrows [Clive Burrows]
Photo © Clive Burrows

Aberrations  

Aberration in this species chiefly occurs in the upperside ground colour and the extent of the black markings. As usual in the 'whites' many aberrations are unique to either male or female specimens, and being seasonally dimorphic some aberrations are also specific to the generation or 'brood'.

Certain ground colour aberrations in this species have been found mainly in Scotland and Ireland. The aberration flava has been recorded chiefly in Ireland and specimens from the country were bred en masse by entomologists such as Newman in the early 20th century. These aberrations were popular with breeders and collectors and while scarce now in the wild a large number of these impressive forms can be found in collections.

There are 39 named aberrations known to occur in Britain; a selection are described below.

ab. alba (Seebold)

Male specimens that are completely white without the least black markings on either the upper or underside.

ab. brunneoflavida (Stauder)

The upper and undersides a light brownish yellow.

ab. deleta (Strand)

Summer brood specimens where the apical mark of the forewings is indistinct and powdered with white scales. Specimens of this appearance are common in the Spring brood and can be considered the typical form at that time of year. Summer brood specimens with these characteristics are scarce and therefore constitute a named from.

ab. fasciata (Tutt)

Females with the two black spots on the upper side of the forewing united by black scales.

ab. flava (ter Haar, 1899)

Female specimens with ground colour a butter-yellow.

ab. flavoapicalis (Lempke)

Male with the apical mark of the forewings yellow instead of the normal black or grey.

ab. pseudoaestiva (Lempke)

Spring brood specimens with enlarged and darkened apical markings similar to the normal Summer brood form.

Ovum  

Eggs are laid singly, normally on the underside of a leaf. Foodplants in sheltered areas are preferred and gardens often provide ideal locations as a result. The eggs are pale when first laid, but gradually turn yellow and ultimately grey prior to hatching, this stage lasting as little as a week.


Small White - ovum - Unknown location - 2003 [REARED] [Reg Fry]
Photo © Reg Fry

Larva  

The larva eats its eggshell on hatching, and subsequently feeds on the foodplant, leaving tell-tale holes in the leaf which increase in size as the larva grows. On cabbages and other brassicas, the caterpillar moves into the heart of the plant as it grows. Older larvae tend to rest on the midrib of a leaf where it is well-camouflaged. This stage lasts around 3 weeks.


Small White Caterpillar
[LOCATION]Durham, UK[/LOCATION]
Photo © Mandie
Small White - larva - Thatcham - 24-Aug-08 (1)
Photo © Pete Eeles
24-Aug-2008
Small White - larva - Witney - 28-Aug-05 [Chris Iles]
Photo © Chris Iles

Pupa  

The pupa is usually formed away from the foodplant, such as on a fence, tree trunk or building, and is supported by a silk girdle and the cremaster. The pupa may even be found in greenhouses. The pupa has two main colour forms – green and brown - and those that do not go on to produce adults in the same year overwinter.


Small White - pupa - Unknown location - 2003 [REARED] [Reg Fry]
Photo © Reg Fry

Similar Species  

Green-veined White

The Green-veined White and Small White are most easily distinguished by their undersides, where the Green-veined White has pronounced markings along the veins which is absent in the Small White. It is much more difficult to distinguish between the Green-veined White and Small White based on the upperside, since the amount of marking is highly variable.

Green-veined White Small White

Large White

The Large White is often confused with the Small White, although the two species can generally be distinguished by size. Another differentiator is to examine the upperwing where, in the Large White, the black marking at the apex of the forewing is generally more vertical than horizontal, whereas in the Small White the opposite is true.
Large White Small White
Videos  

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Sites  

Click here to see the distribution of this species overlaid with specific site information. Alternatively, select one of the sites listed below.

RatingSites
Aylesbeare Common, Howardian Local Nature Reserve
Fleam Dyke, Roudsea Wood NNR
Devils Ditch, Glenarm
Moors Valley Country Park
Not rated
Ashampstead Common, Hounslow Heath LNR, Mayford Pond, Winsdon Hill

Conservation Status  

The status of this species is relatively-stable and so this widespread and common butterfly is not currently a species of conservation concern.

UK BAP StatusDistribution TrendPopulation Trend
Not ListedStableIncrease

From The State of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland and the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) (2007 review).


Links  

The following links provide additional information on this butterfly.

References  

The species description provided here has been derived from the author's own observations and the information contained in the following works:

  • A Natural History of British Butterflies, by F.W.Frohawk.
  • British and Irish Butterflies, by Adrian M. Riley
  • South's British Butterflies, by T.G.Howarth (which is based extensively on the classic work, "The Butterflies of the British Isles", by Richard South).
  • The Butterflies of Britain and Ireland, by Jeremy Thomas and Richard Lewington.
  • The Millennium Atlas of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland, by Jim Asher, Martin Warren, Richard Fox, Paul Harding, Gail Jeffcoate, Stephen Jeffcoate.
  • The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Volume 7 (1) Hesperiidae to Nymphalidae (the Butterflies), by A. Maitland Emmet and John Heath (editors).
  • The State of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland, Richard Fox, Jim Asher, Tom Brereton, David Roy and Martin Warren.

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