Colias philodice
Colias philodice | |
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Male specimen | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Pieridae |
Genus: | Colias |
Species: | C. philodice
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Binomial name | |
Colias philodice Godart, 1819
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Colias philodice, the common sulphur or clouded sulphur, is a North American butterfly in the family Pieridae, subfamily Coliadinae.
Description
This species is a typical member of the genus. Both genders typically have pale yellow wings above with no traces of orange, unlike its close cousin the
The underside of the male's wings is yellow while the female's is yellow or greenish white, and both have a doubled
- Form alba
This species has white form alba which can be very common in some populations, while rare in others. It can be confused with other white forms of Colias particularly that of Colias eurytheme. It can often be distinguished by the border pattern of both wings, though some individuals are impossible to separate without the presence of other "normal" specimens. Though they differ in flight style, the white forms of Colias may be confused with other pierids such as Pieris rapae and Pontia protodice.[3]
White form males are also known, but they are exceedingly rare in this species.[4]
Habitat
This butterfly may be encountered in fields, lawns, alfalfa or clover fields, meadows, and roadsides. Swarms of these butterflies will congregate at mud puddles. They range over most of North America with the exception of Labrador, Nunavut, and northern Quebec.[2] They migrate every year.[5]
Nectar plants
Clouded sulphurs
Host plants
Ground-plum (
Life cycle
The pale yellow eggs are laid singly on the
Gallery
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Male nectaring onred clover
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Male showing red fringe
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Female specimen
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Underside of a white form female
Similar species
- Colias eurytheme – orange sulphur
- Colias interior – pink-edged sulphur
References
- ^ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0 Colias philodice Clouded Sulphur". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
- ^ a b "Butterflies of Canada - Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice) (Godart, 1819)". 9 July 2014.
- ^ "Species Colias philodice - Clouded Sulphur - Hodges#4209".
- ^ "White Form MALE Colias philodice - Colias philodice".
- ^ U. Florida. Featured Creatures. Colias philodice
External links
- Photos of adults and larva
- Schmidt, B. C. "Species Details Colias philodice". University of Alberta Museums. E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
- Clouded sulphur, Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility
- Clouded sulphur, Red Planet Inc.
- Clouded sulphur, Fairfax County Public Schools
- Clouded sulphur, Nearctic.com