Hobbies And Interests
Special Characteristics
Cabbage white butterflies flew down from Quebec, Canada in the 1860s. Cabbage white butterfly wings are white, but the tips of the wings are black, and some black spots can be spotted on the wings. It flies on overcast days. Clouded and orange sulphur butterfly species breed females that are predominantly white. Both species like to fly in open spaces like meadows, gardens and the outskirts of woodlands. Falcate orangetips are all predominantly white, but the females are totally white. Each gender has one round black spot on the wings, and green marbling is present underneath the back wings. They fly in woods and wet areas like swamps and along waterways.
Feeding and Breeding
Cabbage white butterflies get their name from being pests to cabbage farmers. Their larvae eat cabbage. Adult cabbage whites feed on the nectar of mint flowers, bee balm and asters. Clouded sulphur butterflies lay their eggs on legume plants like clovers for feeding. Clouded sulphurs eat the nectar of goldenrod, milkweed, asters, blazing star and phlox. Orange sulphur butterflies lay their eggs on clovers and alfalfa. Adult orange sulphurs eat goldenrods, aster, mint and yarrow. Falcate orangetip butterfly larvae feed on mustard plants like winter cress and rock cress. Adult falcate orangetip butterflies feed on the nectar of violets and mustard flowers.
Attracting Ohio's White Butterflies
It may seem like a no-brainer to simply plant flowers that Ohio's white butterflies eat, but there are specific plant species that draw the greatest migration. Ohio State University recommends planting the black-eyed Susan, bee balm and dense blazing star during the summer. Other species may be planted from the summer to the fall. These include goldenrod, hoary mountain mint, smooth aster, New England aster and sky blue aster. Many plants that the orangetip falcate likes require spring season planting. These include the March blue violet, sweet white violets and common blue violets.
Toxic Plants
Many gardeners know that the more colorful and multicolored flowers and plants they have, the more butterflies are attracted to their yards. Ohio's Wheeler Farms even claims that butterflies are capable of seeing more colors than human beings. Gardeners, however, should be aware of certain plants that, although colorful, are not native to Ohio and pose a fatality risk to area butterflies, including white ones. These plants include butterfly bush, Queen Anne's Lace, Dame's rocket, privet, Japanese honeysuckle, Asian bittersweet, lantana, day lily, Canada thistle, bush honeycut and bush honeysuckle.