Pieris oleracea

Description

Pieris oleracea, or more commonly known as the mustard white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae native to a large part of Canada and the northeastern United States. The nearly all-white butterfly is often found in wooded areas or open plains. There are two seasonal forms, which make it distinct from other similar species. Because of climate change, populations are moving further north. As indicated by the common name, P. oleracea adults and larvae primarily feed on plants in the mustard family, Brassicaceae. The species is threatened by the rapid, and monoculture-forming, spread of the invasive species Alliaria petiolata, which is toxic to larvae. Populations of P. oleracea have been declining. It may be that this butterfly is slowly adapting to garlic mustard. However, it may not be a fast enough process to ensure its survival, due to the high level of aggression on the part of the plant and the continuing encroachment of human development.