Insect
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Size
4–5 cm (wingspan)About the size of a large postage stamp, slightly smaller than a Large White
Weight
Under 1 gramLighter than a paperclip
Lifespan
A few weeks as an adult; 2–3 generations per year
Rarity
Common
M vs F
Females have two black spots on each forewing; males usually have one or none
Habitat
Gardens, allotments, farmland and almost anywhere with brassica plants or nectar flowers
Best time
April–September, with multiple broods through the summer
Conservation
LC
💡 Did you know?
Small White caterpillars are famous for munching through vegetable patches — that's why gardeners call them "cabbage whites"!
The Small White's caterpillars can detect mustard-oil compounds in brassica leaves, which attract them to lay eggs there and make the caterpillars distasteful to some predators.
Often confused with
Large White (bigger
bolder black wingtips)
Green-veined White (greenish veins visible on the underwing)
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