Hampshire and Isle of Wight Butterfly and Moth Society
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Butterfly and Moth Society
| Family: | Pieridae |
| Subfamily: | Pierinae |
| Genus: | Pieris |
| Species: | rapae |
| Authority: | (Linnaeus, 1758) |
The Small White, along with the Large White, can claim the title of "Cabbage White" that is the bane of allotment holders all over the British Isles although the damage caused by this species is significantly less than that of the Large White. This is one of the most widespread species found in the British Isles and can be found almost everywhere. It is relatively scarce in northern Scotland but has been seen as far north as Orkney and Shetland. This species is also known to migrate to the British Isles from the continent, sometimes flying in great swarms, augmenting the resident population in the process.
It is believed that this butterfly can fly up to 100 miles in its lifetime although, undoubtedly, most butterflies will only travel a mile or two. Evidence of the mobility of this species comes from a misguided introduction in Melbourne in 1939. 3 years after its introduction, the species had reached the west coast of Australia some 1,850 miles away in only 25 generations. This species has been a pest in the continent ever since.
| #Individuals | #Tetrads | 2022 | 2023 | Abundance Trend | 2022 | 2023 | Distribution Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22096 | 40785 | +84% | 759 | 890 | +17% |
| #Records | #Individuals | Earliest Record | Latest Record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Records | 162,406 | 482,806 | 09/01/1991 | 08/12/2007 |
| 2023 | 13,317 | 40,785 | 15/2/2023 | 7/11/2023 |
| Location | Date | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earliest Record | Cranmore | 15/2/2023 | 1 |
| Latest Record | Godshill | 7/11/2023 | 1 |
| Highest Count | Stockbridge Down | 25/7/2023 | 154 |
One of the issues with 'raw' trend data is that there is inherent bias based on the number of recorders. For example, the number of individuals and populated tetrads recorded are likely to increase if there is an increase in the number of recorders. In order to remove this bias, the normalised trends use data that has been recalculated using the average number of recorders over the trend period. This normalisation gives a much better picture of the true trends.
Average #Recorders: 956
Average #Recorders: 956