Habitat: One of the most common butterflies, the Cabbage White was accidentally introduced in Quebec back in 1860 and has since spread across the entire country since. It is found throughout the entirety of Alberta.
Description: A very plain looking butterfly, it is mostly white with a few dark patches on its upper wing.
Size: 40-50 mm
Diet: It is a huge pest to farmers, snacking on mustard family plants like broccoli, kale, cauliflower and of course, cabbage.
Fun Fact: The caterpillars can survive in soggy, oxygen-low environments and have been known to survive in the human digestive tract when accidently swallowed. Talk about butterflies in your stomach!
Source:
Acorn, John. Butterflies of Alberta. Edmonton: Lone Pine Publishing, 1993. Print
Mitchell, Robert, and Herbert S. Zim. Butterflies and Moths. Racine: Western Publishing Company Inc.,
1987. Print