Cabbage White

This “Pieris rapae” flew into my car while I was running an errand so I brought it home to photograph well. I think there’s adequate detail here from my macro lens!

Confirmed at BAMONA as “Pieris rapae” or “Cabbage White”; http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sighting_details/1001593

Passed up for posting today: my first “Tawny-edged Skipper” (“Polites themistocles”), http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sighting_details/1001627

1 year ago (“Zebra Swallowtail”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2013-07-23
2 years ago (“‘Hey, it’s not an Eastern Amberwing!’*”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-07-23
3 years ago (“In the shade of an old, oak tree II”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-07-23

[ IMG_5823 ]

[Tara]

Amazing details! I love the eyes.

[Kim]

Awesome details and composition! Thanks for your comment on my photo.

[Rick Schies]

She looks to be posing so nicely for you

[Cathrine Mitchell]

Very nice shot and so much detail.

[Sandy]

This is really awesome. FAV Is it a butterfly or a moth? I just posted a picture of one too, and thought it was a little white butterfly, but several people have said it was a moth. (I think I looked it up on the same link you have, but wasn't clear).

[Thom Mitchell]

@skstein Thanks, Sandy!! Cabbage Whites are butterflies, in the Pieridae family of "Coppers (or Yellows), Sulphurs and Whites." Hmm, perhaps I should include the taxonomy page at BugGuide, http://bugguide.net/node/view/3259
The full taxonomy for this one is—

» Insects (Insecta, class)
»» Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera, order)
»»» Butterflies (excluding skippers) (Papilionoidea, superfamily)
»»»» Whites, Sulphurs, Yellows (Pieridae, family)
»»»»» Whites (Pierinae, subfamily)
»»»»»» Cabbage Whites, Checkered Whites, Albatrosses (Pierini, tribe)
»»»»»»» Pierina (subtribe)
»»»»»»»» Pieris (genus)
»»»»»»»»» Cabbage White - Hodges#4197 (Pieris rapae, species)

[Sandy]

@rhoing thanks much.