Brassicaceae-specialist
Guides
Anthocharis sara sara
Sara Orangetip, Pacific Orangetip
Anthocharis sara sara is the nominate subspecies of the Sara orangetip butterfly, ranging along the Pacific coast of North America. Adults display distinctive orange wing tips on otherwise white forewings, with green marbling on the ventral hindwings. The subspecies is associated with coastal and montane habitats where its host plants in the mustard family occur.
Ascia monuste
Great Southern White, pirpinto
Ascia monuste, commonly known as the Great Southern White, is a pierid butterfly and the sole member of its genus. It is a Brassicaceae specialist and a major herbivore of this plant family in the Neotropical region. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females occurring in both light and dark color morphs. It ranges from the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States through tropical America to Argentina, with migratory behavior along the southeastern U.S. coast.
Brevicoryne brassicae
cabbage aphid, cabbage aphis, mealy cabbage aphid
Brevicoryne brassicae, commonly known as the cabbage aphid, is a destructive agricultural pest native to Europe that has spread worldwide. The species feeds exclusively on plants in the family Brassicaceae, including cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and other cultivated brassicas. Large colonies form on the undersides of young leaves and flower heads, causing significant yield losses through direct feeding damage and virus transmission. The aphid possesses a unique chemical defense mechanism, producing myrosinase enzyme and sequestering glucosinolates from host plants to release toxic mustard oil compounds when attacked.
Ceutorhynchus obstrictus
Cabbage seedpod weevil
Ceutorhynchus obstrictus is a small weevil native to Europe and Asia that has become an invasive agricultural pest in North America. Adults feed on Brassicaceae leaves, while larvae develop inside seed pods and destroy developing seeds. The species causes significant economic damage to canola (Brassica napus) and other crucifer crops, with yield losses estimated at 5–30% in heavily infested fields. It completes one generation per year, with adults overwintering in soil or ground litter.
Eidophasia
A Holarctic genus of plutellid moths comprising 12 species with heterogeneous morphologies. The genus currently lacks established synapomorphies, making species-level taxonomy challenging. E. syenitella, a European representative, was recently redescribed with first documentation of genitalia for both sexes. Larval biology is documented for at least one species, indicating specialization on Brassicaceae hosts.
Phyllotreta cruciferae
crucifer flea beetle, canola flea beetle, rape flea beetle
Phyllotreta cruciferae is a flea beetle and significant agricultural pest of cruciferous crops, particularly canola, rapeseed, and other Brassica species. Adults are small, black, and shiny with enlarged hind femora adapted for jumping. The species overwinters as adults in leaf litter and topsoil, emerging in early spring to feed on host plants. Population dynamics vary by region and year, with one to two generations annually depending on thermal accumulation.
Pieris oleracea
Mustard White
Pieris oleracea, the mustard white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae native to Canada and the northeastern United States. The species exhibits two distinct seasonal forms: spring individuals display prominent green or yellow venation on the hindwing undersides visible even from above, while summer individuals appear nearly all-white with fainter markings. Populations are currently declining due to the invasive spread of garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), which is toxic to larvae despite attracting ovipositing females. The species is biovoltine in most of its range, with two broods annually, though southern Ontario populations may produce three to four generations and northern populations sometimes only one.
Psylliodes chrysocephala
cabbage-stem flea beetle, cabbage stem flea beetle
Psylliodes chrysocephala, the cabbage-stem flea beetle, is a small flea beetle native to the Western Palaearctic and introduced to Canada. It is a major agricultural pest of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus) in northern Europe, with adults feeding on leaves and larvae mining within petioles and stems. The species exhibits an obligatory summer aestivation period to survive heat and desiccation stress, with complex physiological and genetic mechanisms regulating this dormancy. Management has become increasingly difficult due to neonicotinoid bans and rising pyrethroid resistance.