 |
||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||||||
Small White (Pieris rapae)
© Eddie John
The Small White is a very common, widespread and wide-ranging species occurring almost anywhere, though particularly in the open countryside and gardens where it breeds on a wide range of crucifers, including cabbages. (For further details on this species see http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/).
Family: Pieridae
Status: Stable
Status details:
Status since 1976 is Stable with an increase of 6.7%
Status over the last 20 years is Stable with a decrease of -12.6%
Status over the last 10 years is Stable with a decrease of -10.4%
Back to the topLog collated index plot
This chart shows the index of abundance (LCI = Log Collated Index) over time. It shows fluctuations in populations from year to year, and is scaled so that the average index over the whole series is equal to 2 (horizontal line). For greater detail about how this index is derived, click on the green question mark above.
Trend description:
Like the Large White the first generation shows a significant negative trend and suggests reduced overwintering survival. The slightly positive trend of the second generation is not significant. It is less dependant on Brassicas than its close relative the Large White. The collated indices show large, often annual, fluctuations in abundance, particularly in the second generation.
Distribution...
This map shows the distribution between 1995 and 1999. Data is derived from the Butterflies for the New Millenium dataset via the NBN Gateway (www.searchnbn.net).
View the distribution on the NBN GatewayPhenology...
Phenology plot
Phenology plot
This chart shows the average number of butterflies seen on transects between Arpil and October. The black line gives average counts over the full BMS series (1976 to date) and the red line gives the average for the last year.
Abundance...
Abundance
This map shows symbols for the mean abundance at transect sites, with the size of symbol reflecting the level of abundance. Means are over all years.
Coverage
In total, Small White has been recorded from 903 transects in the Butterfly Monitoring Scheme. Of these, annual indices of abundance have been calculated from 1016 sites, with an average index of 61 individuals per site.
For 449 of these sites, Small White has been recorded well enough to calculate annual indices of abundance in 6 or more years, allowing trends to be calculated.
In 2006, 33289 individuals were recorded from 618 sites, producing annual indices at 475 of these.
