 |
||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||||||
Large White (Pieris brassicae)
© Eddie John
The Large White is a widespread and common mobile species that may be seen anywhere but is particularly associated with gardens, allotments and cabbage fields where its foodplants, notably brassicas, grow. (For further details on this species see http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/).
Family: Pieridae
Status: Stable
Status details:
Status since 1976 is Stable with a decrease of -23.4%
Status over the last 20 years is Stable with a decrease of -27.7%
Status over the last 10 years is Stable with a decrease of -5.3%
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 Small White there has been a significant decline in the first generation index which suggests reduced overwintering survival. The trend for the second generation index is also negative but not significantly so. These declines are apparent in many cases on a site by site basis. However numbers recorded have increased at some sites and may be a reflection of where nectar sources have increased. This is a wide ranging butterfly that will seek out and congregate in such places. The general decline may reflect a reduction in the growing of Brassicas that are not protected with insecticides but we have no evidence to support this.
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, Large White has been recorded from 899 transects in the Butterfly Monitoring Scheme. Of these, annual indices of abundance have been calculated from 1021 sites, with an average index of 36 individuals per site.
For 454 of these sites, Large White has been recorded well enough to calculate annual indices of abundance in 6 or more years, allowing trends to be calculated.
In 2006, 19860 individuals were recorded from 613 sites, producing annual indices at 470 of these.
