NEN Gallery

The butterfly is common throughout Europe, north Africa, and Asia. It is often in agricultural areas, meadows and parkland. It is a strong flier and the British population is reinforced in most years by migrations from the continent. The female lays batches of 20 to 100 yellow eggs on plants in the cabbage family and can be a pest on food crops. They seem to have a preference for cultivated varieties of Brassica oleracea such as cabbage and brussels sprouts. The caterpillars are yellowish green with yellow lines and black spots and feed in groups in plain view on the leaf surface. Picture taken at Bromham Bedfordshire 31st July 2011