This Small White Butterfly ~ Pieris rapae, I found flying in the Park on Friday flitting rapidly from plant to plant seldom staying long enough to get a picture. This was taken from about twelve feet away at half zoom when it stopped on the Beech hedge. Two species are particularly important pests: the large white butterfly, Pieris brassicae, (Cabbage white) and the Small White butterfly Pieris rapae. Both species are commonly seen flying within our gardens and are affectionately called summer snowflakes. While the small white is a native species, the large white has usually migrated from southern Europe because they don't often survive a north European winter. Look for Large holes in the leaves of brassica crops and nasturtiums are usually the work of cabbage white caterpillars. Before an attack you may notice large numbers of white buttlerflies around your plants, as they lay eggs. These hatch into larvae which make small holes in the leaves as they start to feed on them, becoming much larger as the caterpillars start to feed more vigorously. Caterpillars also produce small brown or dark green granular deposits as they feed. Susan