Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Photo#7475
White Cabbage Butterfly Mating - Pieris rapae - male - female

White Cabbage Butterfly Mating - Pieris rapae - Male Female
Springfield, Virginia, USA
August 26, 2004
Male and female (I'm assuming), but I don't know which is which.

Battle of Sexing...
Great picture Richard! The female is on the right. This species is slightly dimorphic as the female has two black spots on the dorsal side of the fore-wing which are visible in this shot. Interestingly, this little bug was accidentally introduced into Quebec, Canada back in 1860 and is so resilient, it adapted to all but the harshest environments in North America. Also, it is a big agricultural pest as its larvae feed on cabbages (hence the name) and broccoli to name a few plants of economic importance.

 
Pieris rapae
Thanks for the information, Alan. These certainly are hardy insects. Around here, I think they are the first butterflies to appear in the year and the last ones to leave as well. One of the most common butterflies around my yard, cabbage butterflies are only outnumbered by skippers.