What do cabbage white butterflies eat?

Cabbage white butterflies eat different types of food during the particular phases of their life cycle. Cabbage white caterpillars subsist on the leaves of plants from the Brassica family, while adults feed on the nectar of a variety of flowers.

During their larval phase, cabbage whites feed on cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and other Brassicaceae. For this reason, cabbage white caterpillars are considered crop pests. During their adult phase, cabbage whites feed on the nectar of many types of flowers, including mint, aster, mustard, dandelions and clover. When the adults feed, they move from flower to flower, pollinating them in the process.