MAY: Large White Butterfly EGGS
Food plants: Cabbage & other Brassicas; Nasturtium
Difficulty: very easy (1/10)
Temperature: standard room temperature or outdoors
Lifecycle:
Food plants: Cabbage & other Brassicas; Nasturtium
Difficulty: very easy (1/10)
Temperature: standard room temperature or outdoors
Lifecycle:
True to its name, the Large White butterfly (Pieris brassicae) is a large species by British standards, with a wingspan between 6 and 7cm. It is a robust flyer, commonly observed floating between flowers during the summer throughout Europe. Although most butterfly species are declining greatly in numbers, the Large White population has remained consistent in the UK with a decline of only around 3% since 1970 - thankfully a relatively small decline. Caterpillars can often be found in gardens and fields planted with cabbages or related plants - in captivity they can even be reared on supermarket cabbage! Nasturtium is also an excellent host species, and quick and easy to grow in advance of rearing. Keep pupae cold over winter, they will emerge late the following spring.