Pieris brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758)

Family: Pieridae
Genus: Pieris
Species: brassicae

• This species is found in a wide variety of habitats and can turn up almost anywhere where foodplants is available.
• Eggs are laid on leaf surface in batches of around 40. A female may lay up to 600 eggs in total, this hatch in 4-17 days (depending on temperature). Larvae prefers to feed on the outer leaves of the foodplant (big leaves). The fully-grown larva is approximately 45 mm long. When preparing for pupation the larva start to wandering, when the larva find a suitable place (usually away from foodplant) on a tree trunk, fences, walls. The pupa is attached by a silken girdle and the cremaster. It is approximately 20mm in length and the species is overwinters in this stage (the second generation).
• Flight period: May-June (April) July-August.
• Hostplant: mainly Brassicaceae, but also Tropaeolaceae and Capparaceae.

Similar species (in Europe): Pieris cheiranthi, Pieris mannii and Pieris rapae