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1976-2025
Small White pieris brassica
Wingspan - 48 mm
The small white is a common butterfly in most areas and can be seen anywhere in gardens and allotments from Late March onwards, through to September/October in extended summers. As the first true (non hibernating) spring emergent, the appearance of the small white may well set the tone for the rest of the freshly emerging butterflies.
Habit: the low weak flight of the butterfly is easy to spot. It will alight with folded wings, the pale yellowish colour often merging with the foliage of its chosen nectar plant, then it slowly reveal its chalky top wings to take the sun. There can be a marked difference in size and under wing shade of the male and female butterfly, with occasional large females superficially similar to small male large white butterflies.
Double or even triple brooded: over winters as a a very distinct pale spotted pupa, which can be found harnessed on walls and fences in suitably sheltered places.
Larval Foodplant: Crucifers (cabbage) and nasturiums also wild mignonette
Status: not under threat in our area - numbers fluctuating.
Climate: There is an interesting coincidence between the pattern of two severe winters in 1989/90 - 1990/91 then 2009/10 - 2010/11 and the warm springs that followed. This is reflected in the almost identical emergence patterns of the small white for those periods. What this betokens for the future and climate change is hard to say, but an expectation of earlier emergence seems born out by the data, when taken as a whole.
WH - White Hill Shoreham, BC - Bromley Common, Ha Hayes --BR Bromley General - Ey Eynsford - Orp Orpington Lull Lullingstone
Thanks to Howard Walmsley
©Rodney Compton 2025