IF we include the dainty orange tip and the rare wood white, there are five species of white butterflies in Britain, the others being large white (sometimes called 'cabbage' white) plus the small and green-veined, all on the wing from April and throughout the summer in two or three broods, weather permitting.
Nature Notes: Beautiful blossom benefits bees
None of the white species hibernate but spend the winter in the chrysalis stage. However, last year's cold wet spring resulted in a below average year for all white butterflies so let us hope they all recover this season.
The large white is our only so called pest species laying large batches of eggs underneath cabbage leaves . Years ago we would see large swarms of the species but very few nowadays due to the depredations of a virus which reached Britain from the continent way back in1955 from which it has never fully recovered. Add to that the increasing use of harmful pesticides; all butterflies, bees and other insects have much to contend with.
Nature Notes: I miss the call of the cuckoo
Some years ago I won a Limerick competition which seems appropriate to repeat below:
A farmer once tried all he might,
To rid his crops of the large white.
Day and night did he toil 'til he poisoned the soil
and his cabbages died,
Serves him right!
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here