To date we have identified sixteen butterflies in this family on the property. There are thirty five in total in Australia.
The introduced pest of Australian vegetable gardens, the Cabbage White butterfly, is in this family. However there are many other white butterflies which are native, all feeding on Australian native plants and none of which feed on plants in the cabbage family (Brassica sp.). Because of their similarity in colour to the Cabbage White when in flight other Whites are frequently wrongly identified.
This family also includes the large Migrant butterflies which we see from time to time passing quickly through our property, often in good numbers, as well as the brightly coloured and much smaller Grass Yellows. These lovely little butterflies do spend time with us and seldom move on in a hurry.
Some of the Whites and Yellows are difficult to tell apart without a good photograph. However if a camera is not to hand a quick look at a reference book after seeing an unknown butterfly, whilst memorising any outstanding feature, sometimes solves the mystery.
The most frequently seen butterfly on our property, the Common Jezebel Delias nigrina, is from this family.
The introduced pest of Australian vegetable gardens, the Cabbage White butterfly, is in this family. However there are many other white butterflies which are native, all feeding on Australian native plants and none of which feed on plants in the cabbage family (Brassica sp.). Because of their similarity in colour to the Cabbage White when in flight other Whites are frequently wrongly identified.
This family also includes the large Migrant butterflies which we see from time to time passing quickly through our property, often in good numbers, as well as the brightly coloured and much smaller Grass Yellows. These lovely little butterflies do spend time with us and seldom move on in a hurry.
Some of the Whites and Yellows are difficult to tell apart without a good photograph. However if a camera is not to hand a quick look at a reference book after seeing an unknown butterfly, whilst memorising any outstanding feature, sometimes solves the mystery.
The most frequently seen butterfly on our property, the Common Jezebel Delias nigrina, is from this family.