Pieris oleracea

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum Read more about this collection »

Common NameMustard White SeasonalityTwo broods, flying in June and again in late July to August. IdentificationThis species and the Margined White (P. marginalis) are very similar. The Mustard White has well-marked, narrow and dark green markings along the veins of the hindwing underside, not broad, diffuse, and greyish-green as in marginalis. The second (summer) brood of oleracea often has these markings faint or absent. These two species occur together only in the foothills region. Alberta populations are the nominate subspecies (Layberry et al. 1998).

Scientific Name Pieris oleracea Common Name Mustard White Habitat Moist mixed-wood forest. Seasonality Two broods, flying in June and again in late July to August. Identification

This species and the Margined White (P. marginalis) are very similar. The Mustard White has well-marked, narrow and dark green markings along the veins of the hindwing underside, not broad, diffuse, and greyish-green as in marginalis. The second (summer) brood of oleracea often has these markings faint or absent. These two species occur together only in the foothills region. Alberta populations are the nominate subspecies (Layberry et al. 1998).

Life History

The eggs are conical and yellow, with longitudinal ridges. Mature larvae are green with a dark dorsal stripe and numerous blacks dots. They are covered with short, dense hairs (Guppy & Shepard 2001). Pupae have dorsal and apical projections, and vary in colour from pale green to white to brown (Guppy & Shepard 2001).

Conservation Not of concern. Diet Info

The larval hostplants are unknown in Alberta. In BC, Mustard Whites feed on wild mustards (Brassicaceae) such as rock cress (Arabis spp.) (Guppy & Shepard 2001). In the right habitat, females will also lay eggs on cultivated mustards such as cabbage (Hooper 1973). Adults will also nectar at flowers of mustards (Nielsen 1999).

Range

Found throughout Canada from Newfoundland west to the western Northwest Territories, and in the northeastern United States (Opler 1999). In Alberta, this species is restricted to the boreal and foothills region (Bird et al. 1995). There is an outlying population in the Cypress Hills of Saskatchewan, but it has not been found on the Alberta side (Layberry et al. 1998).

Page Citation

"Species Details - Pieris oleracea, University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum." University of Alberta Museums Search Site, https://search.museums.ualberta.ca/g/2-2555. Accessed 06 May. 2024.

Authorship

Name Schmidt, B. C.

Role species page author

References

Author Opler, Paul A.

Title A field guide to western butterflies.

Publication Date 1999

Author Bird, C. D., G.J. Hilchie, N.G. Kondla, E.M. Pike and F. A. H. Sperling

Title Alberta Butterflies

Publication Date 1995

Author Guppy, Crispin S. and Jon H. Shepard

Title Butterflies of British Columbia.

Publication Date 2001

Author Nielsen, M.C.

Title Michigan Butterflies and Skippers.

Publication Date 1999

Author Layberry, Ross A.; Hall, Peter W. and J. Donald LaFontaine

Title The Butterflies of Canada

Publication Date 1998

Author Hooper, R.R.

Title The Butterflies of Saskatchewan

Publication Date 1973

76 results plotted on map in 24 markers.
Note: Only records with latitude and longitude coordinates are plotted on map.

UASM19441 - Pieris oleracea

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Edmonton Collected ByMackie, Donald Date Collected1915-04-18

UASM19442 - Pieris oleracea

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Edmonton Collected ByMackie, Donald Date Collected1920-07-08