While this looks like an innocent and cute white butterfly, its offspring wreaks havoc on some plants.
Features:  Cabbage white butterflies have white wings edged in gray with black spots on the wings. The female butterfly has two black spots on each fore-wing and the males have one. Their wing span is usually under 2 inches.
Food:Â These butterflies feed on flower nectar.
Eggs:Â Â Cabbage whites lay their white or cream colored eggs on the underside of the leaves of plants in the Brassica Family.
Caterpillar:  The caterpillars are called cabbage worms. These caterpillars can grow up to one inch long and are light green in color. They look velvety and are slow movers. These caterpillars will devour the leaves of the Brassica Family plants.
Migration:Â Â While cabbage white butterflies live for about 3 to 4 weeks, they will migrate south for the winter.
Control Measures:Â Â Since the cabbage white butterfly is beneficial, I prefer to use hoops and small netting or light weight garden fabric to protect my plants in the Brassica Family from its offspring (the cabbage worm).
