Mustard White (Pieris oleracea Harris)
Wing span: 1 1/2 - 2 1/4 inches (3.8 - 5.7 cm).
Identification: Summer form is pure white above and below; spring form has black-tipped upper forewing. Underside of hindwing and apex of forewing have veins edged with yellow-green or gray-green.
Life history: Males patrol during the day for receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on underside of host plant leaves. Caterpillars feed on leaves. Chrysalis hibernates.
Flight: Two flights from April-September in mid-continent; one flight from June-July in the north.
Caterpillar hosts: Various plants in the mustard (Brassicaceae) family.
Adult food: Flower nectar from mustard family and other plants.
Habitat: Open forests and fields, deciduous woods, bogs, streamsides.
Range: East from the Dakotas and Canadian prairie provinces across the Great Lakes area to New England and Nova Scotia.
