Range:
A western butterfly, it ranges from southern British Columbia south through
eastern Washington and Oregon to southeastern California, and east to western
Montana south to western New Mexico. It occurs throughout most of the state
of Idaho.
Habitat:
It is found in dry, open areas, including sagebrush steppe, chaparral, deserts, open woodlands, and rocky canyons.
Diet:
Caterpillar:
Caterpillars typically eat the flowers and fruits of members of the
mustard family (Brassicaceae), such as rock cress (Arabia spp.), tansy
mustard (Descurainia spp.), and jewel flower (Streptanthus spp.).
Adult:
Butterflies drink flower nectar.
Ecology:
There is one generation of caterpillars each growing season. Pupae overwinter in a physiological state called diapause. Adults generally fly from February to June.
Reproduction:
Males actively patrol
for receptive females. Females lay yellow, elongated eggs singly typically on
the leaves of host plants
.
Conservation:
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Global Rank: |
Unranked. |
Opler, P. A., H. Pavulaan, and R. E. Stanford. 1995. Butterflies of North America. Jamestown, North Dakota, USA: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Home Page. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/bflyusa/bflyusa.htm (Version 05Nov98).
Opler, P. A. and A. B.Wright. 1999. A Field Guide to the Western Butterflies. Second Edition. Peterson Field Guide Series. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, New York, USA, 540 pp.
Pyle, R. M. 1981. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York, New York, USA, 924 pp.
Scott, J. A. 1986. The Butterflies of North America. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California, USA, 583 pp.
Stanford, R. E. and P. A. Opler. 1993. Atlas of Western U.S.A. Butterflies (Including Adjacent Parts of Canada and Mexico). Published by authors, Denver, Colorado, USA, 275 pp.