Large white
Females lay eggs in batches of 20 to 60, and the young caterpillars feed together in a tight group rather than scattering singly.
| Where | Gardens, allotments and farmland with brassica crops |
|---|---|
| Size | 63 to 70 mm wingspan |
| When | April to September |
Bright white wings carry a black patch at the forewing tip that curves down the trailing edge; females also show two black spots that males lack.
Caterpillars feed communally on brassica leaves and are a familiar pest of garden cabbages, unlike most other white butterflies.
Traits
Habitat
Garden
Colour
White, Black
Active
Day
To people
Harmless to handle; caterpillars are a common pest of cabbages
Activity through the year
Often confused with
The small white is smaller with a straighter black wingtip that does not reach far down the trailing edge, unlike the large white's bold curved patch.
Questions
Is the Large white dangerous to people?
Harmless to handle; caterpillars are a common pest of cabbages.
When can you see the Large white?
The Large white can be seen from April to September, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by Didier Descouens, CC BY‑SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons Licence
The plate on this page is shared under the same licence as its source, CC BY-SA.
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Butterflies and moths›Whites and yellows›Pieris
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.