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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Pieridae 77a0471 – 4197   Pieris rapae (Linnaeus, 1758)

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Larva and Host Plants: Host familiy: Brassicaceae Capparaceae Cleomaceae[Capparaceae] Tropaeolaceae(?).  Host genera: Arabis Armoracia Aurinia Barbarea Brassica Cakile Capparis Capsella Cardamine Caulanthus Cleome Coro...  Host extended: wild & cultivated Brassicaceae (Wagner 2005); Capsella Caulanthus Descurainia Matthiola [oviposting ...  (Kimberley & Douglas 2025) Similar Species: Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.) Synonymy: rapae (Linnaeus, 1758) (Papilio) - MONA 1983: 4197 rapae (Linnaeus, 1758) (Papilio)  aestivus Verity, 1913 (Pieris)  immaculata Cockerell, 1889 (Pieris)  immaculata Selys-Longchamps, 1857 (Pieris)  immaculata Skinner & Aaron, 1889 (Pieris)  metra (Stephens, 1827) (Pontia)  minor (Costa, [1836]) (Pontia)  novangliae (Scudder, 1872) (Ganoris)  yreka Reakirt, 1866 (Pieris)

References (Caution: DNA barcoding at BOLD provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.)

Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Identifications often erroneous; DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; many specimens not sequenced. Shropshire, K.J. & D.W. Tallamy, 2025. Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico: an annotated list containing geographic ranges and host-plant records. ZooKeys, 1261: 101-113; Suppl. 1. (PDF or read online) Species Page at BugGuide.Net Species Page at iNaturalist Species Page at the Butterflies of America

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