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Kitchen Moth in Late December!? #923186

Asked December 29, 2025, 11:52 PM EST

Hello — This white, black, and greenish yellow (or yellowish green, on the outside of one wing) creature appeared in our kitchen on December 28, in the evening, on the towel hanging over the oven door handle. My husband almost leaned on it — it flew over to the sink where our cat saw it, jumped up, and started batting at it. I entered the scene and saw what seemed to be an injured moth or butterfly, and we decided to put it out of its misery and kill it with a paper towel. We have seen no others as of a day later. Any ideas what this was? If so, how and when did it get in? Are there likely to be more? Thanks for any help you can offer!

Ramsey County Minnesota

Expert Response

HI Kay,

This appears to be a pieris butterfly, one of the cabbage butterflies that are common here is summer. They overwinter on firewood and other debris.

I suspect this is a fluke and you’re unlikely to see any more of these this winter.

Here’s some more information.

https://dnr.illinois.gov/education/wildaboutpages/wildaboutinvertebrates/wildaboutbutterflies/family-pieridae/wambcabbagebutterfly.html

Happy new year! Thanks. 

MJ Replied December 30, 2025, 8:55 AM EST

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