There were lots of pollinators amongst the thick vegetation.
The last few years I’ve made a concerted effort to visit the few states I have not seen. This summer I made it to Nebraska for the first time. Just south of Omaha is an awesome riverside park called Platte River State Park. It was July and there were lots of pollinators amongst the thick vegetation.
In a clearing I saw this interesting looking butterfly that I was unfamiliar with. It is called a cabbage white butterfly. Why cabbage? This butterfly starts its life as a caterpillar. This caterpillar is considered a pest and destroyer of crops such as cabbage. They also attack kale and broccoli crops. They are considered widespread in Europe and Asia. The cabbage white butterfly is thought to have originated in the eastern Mediterranean area of Europe. It has spread throughout Eurasia. In roughly 1800, it established populations in North Africa. By the 1860’s, it was reported in North America. Later, it was reported in Hawaii, New Zealand, and eventually in Australia (1930’s).
This cabbage white butterfly has black tips on the wings. The females, like the one in this photo, have two black spots in the center of their forewings. As a larva, it has a big appetite. Once it hatches from its egg, it will eat its own eggshell. Then it will proceed to eat the leaves of the plant it is on.
The yellow flower this cabbage white butterfly is visiting is called yellow rocket. It is also considered invasive and non-native. This flower can grow to two to four feet in height. Its flowers have four yellow petals. You can find this flower in open fields, vacant lots, meadows, along roadsides, and adjacent to cropland. In fact, I saw this yellow rocket flower along a trail that was adjacent to farmland.
The Platte River State Park in Nebraska is roughly halfway between Omaha and Lincoln. It is a park that has ~453 acres to explore. There is a lookout tower that provides a beautiful view of the Platte River. There are many hiking trails, paddling options, lodging accommodations, and even a restaurant. Most of the land around this part of Nebraska is flat, however Platte River State Park has some steeper topography. If you ever find yourself in the Omaha area, make the short trip out of the city to this beautiful Midwest state park.
At night its body pattern can change to a broad-banded pattern
Did you know?
- Yellow rocket is such a hard plant to eradicate because of its ability to live in different types of soils.
- Because of their white color, cabbage white butterflies are often mistaken for moths.
- Cabbage white butterflies have been observed flying over seven miles in one flight!
- Cabbage white butterflies prefer blue, yellow, and purple colored flowers.
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