Glucosinolates are used in host-plant recognition by insects specialized on Brassicaceae, such asPieris rapaeL. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). This research investigated the association betweenP. rapaeoviposition and larval survival and host-plant glucosinolate content using 17 plant species in which glucosinolate content had previously been determined. Two-choice oviposition tests (comparing each plant species toArabidopsis thalianaL.) and larval survival experiments showed that indolic glucosinolate content had a positive effect on oviposition preference and larval survival inP. rapae. In the host plants tested, the effects of indolic glucosinolates on oviposition preference and of glucosinolate complexity index and aliphatic glucosinolates without sulfur-containing side chains on total oviposition were smaller onP. rapaethan onPlutella xylostellaL. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), another lepidopteran specialized on glucosinolate-containing plants. This study suggests that high indolic glucosinolate content could make crop plants more susceptible to bothP. rapaeandP. xylostella, but this effect seems to be greater forP. xylostella. Additionally, as some differences in oviposition and larval survival betweenP. rapaeandP. xylostellaoccurred in some individual plants, it cannot be concluded that bottom-up factors are always similar in these two specialist insects.