Female size and age‐specific fecundity in the small white butterfly, Pieris rapae crucivora Boisduval (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)

Summary Individual differences in several reproductive parameters of female Pieris rapae were investigated in a controlled laboratory condition. Lifetime and age‐specific fecundity showed considerable variability between individuals. Larger females began oviposition at an earlier age than smaller ones, and larger females were more fecund than smaller ones. Larger females laid a larger proportion of their eggs in the early stages of their reproductive lifetime, whilst smaller females laid the larger proportion of their eggs later in their reproductive lifetime. The significance of the variance in age‐specific fecundity associated with female size is discussed with respect to the seasonal change in size and habitat utilization of this species.