Grow Your Own Magazine

I was out walking the dog in the countryside when I noticed what appeared to be a cabbage white butterfly! Strange thinks I,there aint any brassica plants anywhere about.

As it looked so beautiful and seemed out of place I decided to take a closer look. It had black spots and black wing tips.

Was it just a common or garden cabbage white or was it something a bit special I wonder?

PS Just answered my own question as I have now had a look through google images and it appears it WAS a cabbage white!..........Still I'll never look at them in the same way again!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

They feed on all kinds of plants, but lay eggs on brassicas. I have netted my cabbage, so the little bar stewards have laid eggs on my radishes instead ... they're teeming with caterpillars.

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~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

'Cabbage Whites' (Large and Small Whites) are 'countrside' butterflies. Their main natural foodplant are wild members of the cabbage family (surprise, surprise) and historically would have fed principally on 'Garlic Mustard' (Jack-by-the-hedge). There are a LOT of wild brassica (crucifers) in the wild UK flora.

Unfortunately they have found that cultivated cabbages are more to their liking, and occur in much higher numbers and closer density to the wild food, so I guess its no surprise the little blighters have changed their habits.

Nature is wonderful (sometimes......)

LCG