LARGE WHITE

The large white is more commonly known as the cabbage white butterfly. Even its Latin name is cabbage related – Pieris brassicae. 

They often migrate from Europe to Britain, and Lundy, in the late Summer, but a few over winter here. It is the large whites that migrate here that do all the damage to the farmers and gardeners greens as they can turn up in huge numbers. 

The eggs are laid on the underside of the leaves and the resulting caterpillars can decimate the crops quickly. They are kept under control naturally by small parasitic wasps known as Braconid wasps. 

Male large whites are white with a black tipped forewing, whereas the females are similar but also have 2 black dots on each forewing. They are 65mm overall wingspan.