<
https://theconversation.com/a-great-year-to-be-a-cabbage-white-butterfly-why-are-there-so-many-and-how-can-you-protect-your-crops-217794>
"Cabbage white butterflies –
Pieris rapae – are one of the most common garden
visitors across southern and eastern Australia. The butterfly looks elegant in
white with black dots on its wings: females have a pair of black spots and
males a single spot on each forewing. But their velvety green caterpillars are
ravenous beasts on brassicas – the plant family that includes common vegetable
crops such as cabbages, cauliflowers, broccoli, kale and bok choy.
The species was accidentally introduced into Melbourne in 1929 from Europe.
Since then, cabbage whites have spread all over Australia, finally reaching
Perth in 1943.
Because of their caterpillars’ addiction to eating brassicas, it is one of the
most pervasive pests of any crop worldwide. Recent conditions have been
favourable, resulting in large numbers of cabbage whites.
One female can lay up to 800 eggs. When they hatch, the caterpillars prefer
densely planted hosts in moist, warm habitats. The caterpillars’ biomass can
double each day, making them one of the fastest-growing cabbage-feeding
caterpillars."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
