Fluttering camouflage

I could barely see this small white and palest of pale green butterfly as it rested on a leaf that was reversed by wind. The catepillar form of this pretty little thing is one of the world's most invasive pests. Humans have helped Pieris Rapae spread for thousands of years, all over the world. 

"Published online on September 10, 2019, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the paper correlates the pest's invasive spread across the world through human travel and trade beginning with the overland ancient Silk Road routes from Europe to Asia, followed by the tall ships that traveled the more modern Silk Trade Routes, to the "iron horses" that traversed North America beginning in the second half of the19th century."

 The secret of it's success lies with our trade and human migration. All the tasty brassicaceae (cabbage, kale, turnips, bok choy etc.) we plant all over the world  keeps the caterpillar form happy and well fed.


From the Record,
This day came in warmer, but still windy and chilly for the last day of this strange summer of pandemic panic clouding many of our normal activities.


All hands wary


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