The butterfly guide

For the most part small or medium-sized butterflies, white or yellow in color, with dark marginal markings. The eggs are spindle-shaped, marked with vertical ridges and horizontal cross-lines. The caterpillars are cylindrical, relatively long, generally green in color, with longitudinal stripes. The chrysalids are more or less pointed at the head, with the wing-cases greatly developed on the ventral side, forming a more or less keel-shaped projection upon this surface.

The subfamily is very large, and is well represented in the tropics of both the eastern and western hemispheres. Certain genera are also widely distributed in the colder regions of both the north and the south, among them the genus Colias, species of which occur from Greenland to Patagonia and from the North Cape to the Cape of Good Hope.

There are about seventy species in this genus, all of which are found in the Old World, except the one which occurs in our fauna, and which has a very wide range throughout the tropics of the New World.

(1) Tachyris ilaire (Godart), Plate XCV, Fig. 1, ♂; Fig. 2, ♀. Our plate gives such an excellent reproduction of the upper side of the wings of this species that no formal description seems necessary. A melanic form of the female sometimes occurs in which the wings are almost wholly dull blackish on both sides. Normally the under side of the wings in the female is pearly white marked with bright orange at base of fore wings. Expanse 2.50-2.75 inches.

Occurs in southern Florida and throughout tropical America.

Medium-sized butterflies, generally white in color, marked on both upper and under sides with darker lines and spots. Antennæ clubbed; palpi short, compressed, with the last joint short and pointed. Eggs spindle-shaped, with vertical raised ridges. Caterpillar elongate, head hemispherical, feeding upon cruciferous plants. Chrysalis attached by anal extremity and held in place by a silk girdle; concave on the ventral side, convex on the dorsal side, with a hump-like or keel-shaped eminence on the thorax. Head conical.

An extensive genus, confined principally to the northern hemisphere.

(1) Pieris monuste (Linnæus), Plate XCVI, Fig. 1, ♂; Fig. 2, ♀ (The Great Southern White).

Our figure gives a perfect idea of the upper side of the wings. Hind wing on under side grayish saffron, crossed by a poorly defined pale brown transverse band of spots, the veins pale brown, between them pale brown rays on the interspaces. Expanse 1.65-2.35 inches.

Has a wide range in tropical America. Common in the Gulf States.

(2) Pieris protodice Boisduval & Leconte, Plate XCVII, Fig. 1, ♂; Fig. 2, ♀ (The Common White).

Our illustration of both sexes obviates the necessity for a description. Expanse 1.90-2.15 inches.

Ranges from the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains, and from southern Canada to the Gulf States.

(3) Pieris napi (Linnæus), variety oleracea (Harris), Plate XCVIII, Fig. 1, ♂; variety pallida Scudder, Plate XCVIII, Fig. 2, ♂; variety bryoniæ (Ochsenheimer), Plate XCVIII, Fig. 3, ♀ (The Mustard White). (See p. 174.)

Occurs throughout temperate and boreal North America, ranging well up to the Arctic Circle; also occurs in the eastern hemisphere, ranging from north Africa to the North Cape, and all over temperate and subarctic Asia. There are a multitude of forms which have been named and described; we give but three of those found in America. Oleracea is a winter form; pallida is the common form; and bryoniæ is a subarctic form found in Alaska, Siberia, and the Alps in Europe.

The species ranges from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from Alaska to the northern boundaries of the Gulf States. Expanse 1.50-2.00 inches.

(4) Pieris rapæ (Linnæus), Plate XCIX, Fig. 1, ♂; Fig. 2, ♀ (The Cabbage Butterfly). (See p. 174.)

This excessively common insect has been in comparatively recent years introduced from Europe. It first appeared about Quebec in 1860; since then it has come to occupy the continent, and wherever cabbages are grown hundreds of these butterflies may be seen. The loss to gardeners which it causes is estimated to run into millions of dollars annually. It feeds on all the Cruciferæ. The multiplication of P. rapæ has been followed by the partial extinction of our native Pierids just as our birds have disappeared before the English Sparrow. Expanse 2.00 inches.

Small yellow butterflies margined with black. Fore wings somewhat narrow and produced; antennæ quite short; upper radial vein in fore wing wanting. There are three species found in the subtropical regions of the New World, one of which invades our territory.

(1) Nathalis iole, Boisduval Plate C, Fig. 1, ♂; Fig. 2, ♀ (The Dwarf Yellow).

This little species, of which we give excellent figures, cannot be mistaken. Expanse 1.00-1.25 inch.

It ranges from southern Indiana and Illinois to Arizona, southern California, and northern Mexico. The larva feeds on Erodium cicutarium or pin-clover, and other Geraniaceæ.

Small butterflies, white in color, with the apex of the fore wings dark brown, marked with spots and bands of orange-yellow or crimson; on the under side the hind wings are generally more or less mottled with green spots and striæ. Eggs spindle-shaped; caterpillar relatively long, with small head; chrysalis with the head greatly produced, wing-cases compressed forming a keel-shaped projection.

(1) Euchloë ausonides (Lucas), Plate C, Fig. 3, ♂, under side (The Western Orange-tip).

On upper side wings at apex tipped with dark fuscous, and lack altogether the orange or red which is characteristic of most of the other species of the genus. On under side fore wings have a very pale greenish tint; hind wings marked with three irregular green bands, more or less broken up, forking in various directions. Expanse 1.65-1.90 inch.

Ranging from Arizona to Alaska and eastward to Colorado.

(2) Euchloë genutia (Fabricius). Plate C, Fig. 4, ♂ (The Falcate Orange-tip).

Readily recognized by the hooked tip of the fore wings. The female has no orange marking on the tip. Single-brooded in the Northern States, but double-brooded in the Carolinas. Expanse 1.30-1.50 inch. The caterpillar feeds on Sisybrium, Arabis, Cardamine, and other cruciferous plants.

Ranges from New England to Texas.

(3) Euchloë sara (Lucas) Plate CI, Fig. 1, ♂ (Lucas’ Orange-tip).

There are numerous varieties of this beautiful insect. On the under side the hind wings are marked with irregular patches of greenish scales having a “mossy” appearance. Expanse 1.75 inch. Occurs in Pacific States.

(4) Euchloë rosa (Edwards), Plate CI, Fig. 2, ♂, under side (The Rosy Marble-wing).

Above pure white without any red at the tip of the primaries; a transapical black band, broken in the middle, and a small black bar closes the cell. Under side well shown in our figure except that there fails to appear a faint rosy tint in the hind wings which is characteristic of all specimens which we have examined. Expanse 1.35-1.40 inch. Found in Texas.

(5) Euchloë hyantis (Edwards), Plate CI, Fig. 3, ♀, under side (Edwards’ Marble-wing).

This species also is without orange at the tip of the fore wings; the wings on the under side are as shown in our figure, heavily marbled on the hind wings with dark green bands and spots. Expanse 1.65-1.85 inch. Habitat California.

Large butterflies; brilliant lemon-yellow or orange-yellow marked with a few darker spots and with a narrow band of brown, especially in the female, on the outer margin of the fore wings. Very quick in flight. Eggs spindle-shaped and acutely pointed, vertically ribbed. Caterpillars relatively long, head small, segments resembling beads strung together, surface covered with minute papillæ in transverse rows. Chrysalis concave dorsally, head conical, projecting, wing-cases compressed, forming a wide keel-shaped projection on ventral side.

The genus is mainly tropical; one species, however, ranges as far north as Long Island and western Pennsylvania.

(1) Catopsilia eubule (Linnæus), Plate CII, Fig. 1, ♂; Fig. 2, ♀ (The Cloudless Sulphur).

Well depicted in our plate and requiring no special description. Expanse 2.50 inches. The caterpillar feeds on leguminous plants, preferably the species of Cassia.

Medium-sized butterflies, whitish or yellow on upper side, with some dark markings, especially in the male; fore wings somewhat falcate.

The genus is confined to the New World; one species occurs in our territory.

(1) Kricogonia lyside (Godart), form terissa (Lucas), Plate CIII, Fig. 1, ♂; Fig. 2, ♀ (Godart’s Sulphur).

Our plate gives a very good idea of this insect in both sexes, the male being always marked near the outer angle of hind wings by a short black bar. Expanse 1.90-2.10 inches.

Found in southern Texas and Mexico.

There are a number of forms of this insect, slightly variant.

Closely resembling the insects of the next genus, from which they may be distinguished by the more pointed fore wings, and the fact that the rude outlines of the head of a dog are shown in yellow silhouette upon the fore wings. There are two species in our territory, one of which, M. eurydice Boisduval, found in California, may be distinguished from the other by the splendid purplish iridescence of the fore wings of the male.

(1) Meganostoma cæsonia (Stoll), Plate CIV, ♂ (The Southern Dog-face). (See p. 180.)

The sexes are much alike in this species, which ranges from Florida and the Gulf States northward as far as southern Illinois. Expanse 2.25 inches.

Medium-sized butterflies, yellow, orange, and sometimes white or greenish yellow with dark-bordered wings, the borders generally heaviest in the female. Eggs spindle-shaped, tapering at top and bottom, and attached to the surface where laid by a flat disk-like expansion; vertically and horizontally ribbed. Caterpillars elongated; head small; body generally green, striped longitudinally. They feed upon leguminous plants, and especially upon the various species of clover (Trifolium) and Astragalus, though some boreal species are known to feed upon the foliage of huckleberries ( Vaccinium) and willows.

The genus is large and is found on every continent except Australia. It is lacking in the very hot tropical regions of both the New and Old Worlds, but is found in Greenland and thence ranging south among the cordilleran uplifts to Patagonia. It is represented from Japan to Norway, and turns up at the Cape of Good Hope.

(1) Colias philodice Godart, Plate CV, Fig. 1, ♂; Fig. 2, albino, ♀ (The Common Sulphur).

This is the common “Puddle-butterfly” or “Clover-butterfly” which every child has seen gathered in swarms about moist places, or hovering by the score or hundreds over the blossoming clover fields. There are many variations both in size and color. The females are frequently albinoes, that is to say they are white, rather than yellow. Now and then melanic males turn up, but they are rare. In these the wings are black, of the same color as the borders in normal specimens. Expanse 1.25-2.25 inches.

Ranges from Canada to Florida and westward to the Rocky Mountains.

(2) Colias eurytheme Boisduval, Plate CVI, Fig. 1, ♂; Plate CVII, ♀; form keewaydin Edwards, Plate CVI, Fig. 2, ♂ (The Orange Sulphur). (See pp. 182 and 183.)

This is a form which is known to be very strongly polymorphic, having quite as many varieties and races as Lycæna pseudargiolus, for instance. C. keewaydin is a large winter form, which has the wings strongly washed with orange; there is a small winter form called C. ariadne, which is also laved with orange, though not so strongly. There is another form called C. eriphyle, which belongs to the summer brood, which has no orange on the wings, but is plain yellow; and there are still other forms. Expanse 1.60-2.15 inches.

The Orange Sulphur has a wide range, extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from Canada to the northern portions of the Gulf States, though not invading the hotter parts of these states.

Small butterflies, generally some shade of orange or yellow, with wings more delicate in structure than most of the genera belonging to the Pierinæ. Both wings generally rounded, but in a few species produced at the apex of the fore wing and at the end of the second median nervule of the hind wing. Eggs spindle-shaped, much swollen at the middle. Larva cylindrical, with a very small head, and the three first segments larger than those after them giving the body a humped appearance in front. Chrysalis compressed laterally, with the wing-cases forming a deep keel on the ventral side, more pronounced than in any other American genus, except Catopsilia.

This is a very large genus represented by many species in the tropical and subtropical regions of both the eastern and western hemispheres. Many of the species are dimorphic or polymorphic, and there is a vast deal of confusion as to their classification.

(1) Terias nicippe (Cramer), Plate CVIII, Fig. 1, ♂; Fig. 2, ♀ (The Small Orange). (See Plate on p. 184.)

The species is subject to considerable variation. Rare in New England, but common south of latitude 40° as far as the Rocky Mountains; also reported from Southern California, where it is rare. Expanse 1.50-2.00 inches.

(2) Terias mexicana Boisduval, Plate CVIII, Fig. 3, ♂ (The Mexican Yellow). (See Plate on p. 184.)

Easily recognizable by our figure. Expanse 1.75-1.85 inch. Found in Texas and Arizona, thence southward.

(3) Terias lisa (Boisduval & Leconte), Plate CIX, Fig. 1, ♂ (The Little Sulphur). (See Plate on p. 184.)

Allied to the three following species, but may be told apart at once by the solid black outer borders of the wings and the absence of the black band on the hind margin of the fore wing. Expanse 1.25-1.60 inch.

Ranges from New England to Honduras, east of the Rockies.

(4) Terias elathea (Cramer), Plate CIX, Fig. 2, ♂ (The Florida Yellow). (See Plate on p. 184.)

May be told from the next two species by the white hind wings. Expanse 1.25-1.40 inch.

Found in Florida, Mexico, and the Antilles.

(5) Terias delia (Cramer), Plate CX, Fig. 1, ♂; Fig. 2, ♀ (The Gulf Yellow). (See Plate on p. 185.)

Almost exactly like the preceding species, but the hind wings are yellow above and red below, and the apex of the fore wing is red below. Expanse 1.25-1.50 inch.

Common in the Gulf States.

This species and the one preceding and following are very closely related but perfectly distinct. They are apt to puzzle the beginner, but by comparison he will soon learn to discriminate them.

(6) Terias jucunda (Boisduval & Leconte), Plate CX, Fig. 3, ♂ (The Fairy Yellow).

Separable from the preceding species by the black border surrounding the hind wing, and the pale under surface. Expanse 1.60-1.75 inch.

Found in the Gulf States.

(7) Terias proterpia (Fabricius), Plate CX, Fig. 4, ♂ (The Cadmium Orange).

Our figure will enable the student to immediately recognize it. Expanse 1.50-1.75 inch.

Found in Texas, Arizona, and Mexico.