Central America Butterflies and Moths during Focus On Nature Tours

PO Box 9021, Wilmington, DE 19809, USA
E-mail: font@focusonnature.com
Phone: Toll-free in USA 1-800-721-9986
or 302/529-1876

Part 2 of a List of selected

Central America
Butterflies
and Moths

Noting those during
Focus On Nature Tours

in Belize
Costa Rica
Guatemala
Honduras
Panama

(with tours in the months of: January,
February, March, April, July, December)

A List of Central America Butterflies in 5 Parts, compiled by Armas Hill

In the following Part #2: Whites, Yellows, Sulphurs, & Marbles (Pieridae)

Links to other Butterfly groupings:

Part #1 - Swallowtails (Papilionidae)

Part #3 - Copper, Hairstreaks, Blues (Lycaenidae) & Metalmarks (Riodinidae)

Part #4 - Brushfoots (Nymphalidae)

Part #5 - Skippers (Hesperiidae)

Codes relating to illustrations in various books:

Numbers noted as (BAPG:xx) refer to pages in "Butterflies of Arizona - A Photographic Guide", by Bob Stewart, Priscilla Brodkin, & Hank Brodkin (with fine photographs).

Numbers noted as (BMCR:xx) refer to plates in "Butterflies and Moths of Costa Rica" by Isidro Chacon & Jose Montero.

Numbers noted as (C:xx) refer to pages in "A World of Butterflies", with text by Brian Cassie, and photographs (superb) by Kjell Sandved

Numbers noted as (D1:xx) refer to plates in "The Butterflies of Costa Rica and their Natural History (Volume 1): Papilionidae, Pieridae, Nymphalidae", by Philip J. DeVries

Numbers noted as (F:xx) refer to pages in "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Butterflies", by Dr. John Feltwell

Numbers noted as (K:xx) refer to pages in the "Kaufman Focus Guide to Butterflies of North America", by Jim Brock & Kenn Kaufman

Numbers noted as (MCA:xx) refer to pages in "A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of Mexico & Central America" by Jeffrey Glassberg

Numbers noted as (PE:xx) refer to plates in the "Peterson Field Guides to Eastern Butterflies", by Paul Opler & Vichai Malikul, 1998 edition. Those noted as (PEp:xx) refer to a page with a photograph.

Numbers noted as (PW:xx) refer to plates in the "Peterson Field Guide to Western Butterflies", by Paul Opler & illustrated by Amy Bartlett Wright, 1999 edition. Those noted as (PWp:xx) refer to a page with a photograph.

Numbers noted as (S:xx) refer to pages in the "Smithsonian Handbook, Butterflies & Moths", by David Carter

Additional Codes:

BZ: in Belize
CR: in Costa Rica
GU: in Guatemala
HN: in Honduras
PN: in Panama

(sl): at Sierra Llorona, in hills on the Caribbean side of Panama

Butterflies observed during FONT tours noted by an (*) after the 2-letter country code.

Other Links:

Itineraries for upcoming FONT Tours in:
Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, & Panama

Birds during previous tours in:
Costa Rica Guatemala Honduras Panama

A List of Mammals & Other Wildlife in Central America (including Reptiles & Amphibians)

List of Butterflies, Part #2:

          Family PIERIDAE: most are predominantly white, yellow, or orange in color,
          and are often referred to as WHITES, YELLOWS, SULPHURS, or MARBLES.
          Worldwide, over 1,000 species of WHITES & SULPHURS have been described.

          Subfamily DISMORPHIINAE: MIMIC WHITES. A long-winged, tropical group of about 1,000 species.

          Genus PSEUDOPIERIS: in the Neotropics, with 2 species in Central & South America

Pseudopieris nehemia ______ (D1:6) (MCA:33)
Clean Mimic-White
(Range: Mexico to southern Brazil)

Genus DISMORPHIA: This grouping is of about 40 species of "atypical" PIERIDS.
They are large and widely distributed, mostly in South America.
Many of the DISMORPHIDS are involved in mimicry, often being remarkable mimics of various distasteful butterflies. Their wingshapes and coloration can be misleading, causing them to be regarded as ITHOMIIDS or HELICONIDS. Also, these DISMORPHIDS often fly in the same localities and occupy the same habitats as the ITHOMIIDS ore HELICONIDS which they resemble.
Thus, unlike more "typical" PIERIDS, they often prefer shady areas. Sometimes, however. they can be found resting on leaves, with their wings open, trying to catch some sunlight struggling to enter the dark places where they hide. At the beginning of the dry season, large numbers can be encountered imbibing nectar from flowers growing at the edge of the forest or along pathways.
The patterning of DISMORPHIDS is quite variable.

Dismorphia lua idae ______
Dismorphia lua costaricensis ______ (D1:6) (subspecies in Costa Rica)
(Range: Costa Rica to Bolivia)

Dismorphia amphione praxinoe ______ (BMCR:104) (D1:6) (MCA:34) (S:74) (subspecies from Mexico to Colombia)
Tiger Mimic-White
(Range: Mexico thru South America; also Trinidad, Cuba, Hispaniola, & Puerto Rico)

Dismorphia amphione is a highly variable species, so variable that different populations have hitherto been regarded as different species.

Dismorphia eunoe desine ______ (BMCR:104) (D1:6) (MCA:34) (subspecies from Nicaragua to Panama)
Guatemalan Mimic-White
(Range: Mexico to Panama)

Dismorphia eunoe occurs in forest habitats, also in coffee & conifer plantations.

Dismorphia crisia lubina ______ (D1:6) (MCA:34) (subspecies in Costa Rica & Panama)
Cloud-forest Mimic-White
(Range: southern Mexico to Brazil)

Dismorphia crisia occurs in cloud forests - from 1,000 to 2,000 meters in Costa Rica.

Dismorphia zaela oreas ______ (BMCR:104) (D1:7) (subspecies in Costa Rica & Panama)
(Range: Costa Rica to Ecuador)

Dismorphia theucharila fortunata ______ (BMCR:104) (C:363) (D1:7) (MCA:35) (subspecies from Mexico to Panama)
Clearwinged Mimic-White
(Range: Mexico to Brazil)

Dismorphia theucharila looks like an ithomiine clearwing - D1:35.

Dismorphia zathoe pallidula ______ (BMCR:105) (D1:7) (subspecies in Costa Rica & Panama)
(Range: Costa Rica to Ecuador)

Genus LIENIX

Lieinix nemesis nemesis ______ (BMCR:105) (D1:7) (MCA:35) (subspecies in Costa Rica)
Frosted Mimic-White
(Range: Mexico to Venezuela & Peru)

Lieinix cinerascens ______ (D1:7)
(Range: Costa Rica & Panama)

Lienix viridifascia ______ (D1:7)
(Range: Costa Rica & Panama)

Lienix viridifascia is a rare species, apparently restricted to volcanoes.

Genus PATIA

Patia cordillera (formerly orise) sororna ______ PN (sl) (BMCR:105) (D1:7) (subspecies in Costa Rica & Panama)
(Range: Costa Rica to Bolivia)

Genus ENANTIA: 4 species closely related to DISMORPHIA. They are by some regarded as DISMORPHINES, but they are not as strongly sexually dimorphic. They are fond of sun & flowers, and can be encountered in numbers usually at the close of the rainy season.

Enantia licinia marion ______ (D1:7) (subspecies from Mexico to Panama)
(Range: Mexico to Brazil)

Enantia albania (formerly melite) amalia ______ (BMCR:105) (D1:7) (MCA:33) (subspecies from Nicaragua to Panama)
Costa-spotted Mimic-White
(Range: Mexico to Uruguay)

Enantia melite is a most variable butterfly, which has suffered heavily at the hands of nomenclatorialists!)
Enantia lina ______ (MCA:33)
White Mimic-White
Enantia jethys ______ (MCA:33)
Bold Mimic-White
Enantia mazai ______ (MCA:33)
De la Maza's Mimic-White

Subfamily PIERINAE: a cosmopolitan group, well represented in both temperate and tropical regions, with as many as 1200 species worldwide.

Genus HESPEROCHARIS: TILEWHITES This is a grouping of 10 mostly South American species, whose biology is mostly, as yet, unknown. These butterflies can be quite active, flying in the "optimum" daylight period (late morning), and not being seen after about midday.

Hesperocharis graphites graphites ______ CR(*) (BMCR:107) (D1:7) (MCA:22) (subspecies in Costa Rica)
Black-pointed Tilewhite
(Range: Mexico to Panama)

Hesperocharis costaricensis ______ (D1:7) (MCA:22)
Pallid Tilewhite
(Range: Nicaragua to Panama)

Hesperocharis crocea ______ (D1:7) (MCA:22)
Orange Tilewhite
(Range: Mexico to Panama)

Genera ARCHONIAS & CHARONIAS: This interesting grouping of 3 (some say 5) species appears to mimic PARIDES and HELICONIUS species of butterflies, and one species of an ARCTIID day-flying moth.
Butterflies in this genus are comparatively slow-flying, with a fondness for settling on leaves in the sunshine, or simply visiting flowers where they may appear to spend a considerable effort on 1 or 2 blooms.

Charonias (formerly Archonias) eurytele ______ (D1:7) (MCA:23)
Tiger White
(Range: Mexico to Colombia)

Archonias brassolis (formerly tereas) approximata ______ PN(*) (sl) (BMCR:106) (D1:7) (F:82) (MCA:23) (subspecies in Costa Rica & Panama)
Cattleheart White
(Range: Mexico to Brazil)

Archonias tereas looks like a smaller mimic of a female Parides swallowtail. It lives in open parts of rainforests.

Genus MELETE: There are about 10 species in this genus, but there is some doubt about these generally colorful, mostly South American butterflies being PIERIDS. They are identified by their long antennae and the black bar which runs through the forewing. They may breed on members of the mistletoe family, and they may also be migratory as they are powerful fliers.

Melete lycimnia ______ (MCA:28)
Common Melwhite

Melete polyhymnia ______ (MCA:28)
Golden Melwhite

Melete florinda ______ (D1:10)
(Range: Costa Rica to Colombia)

Melete florinda occurs along forest edges of montane rain forests - in Costa Rica: it is on both slopes, from 500 to 1,500 meters.

Melete isandra ______ (D1:10)
(Range: Mexico to Costa Rica)

Melete isandra occurs from forest to open habitats - in Costa Rica: from sea level to 500 meters, on the Pacific slope.

Genus CATASTICTA: This group, mostly South American, has over a hundred species of checkered butterflies. It is by far the largest genus of PIERIDS in Central & South America.
These are most mercurial butterflies, fond of flying rapidly in singles from flower to flower, or hurrying down to rushing streams where they alight on wet pebbles, oblivious to the splashing water all around them.
There is variation amongst individuals of local populations. But all CATASTICTA species have a characteristic milk-chocolate brown verso with distinctive white and yellow streaks in the interspaces between the veins.

Catasticta nimbice bryson ______ (BMCR:106) (D1:11) (K:51) (PW:7) (subspecies in Costa Rica & Panama)
Mexican Dartwhite
(Range: Mexico to Panama)

Catasticta theresa ______ (BMCR:107) (D1:11)
(Range: Costa Rica & Panama)

Catasticta flisa melanisa ______ (BMCR:106) (D1:11) (subspecies on Costa Rica)
Narrow-banded Dartwhite
(Range: Mexico to Colombia)

Catasticta teutila flavomaculata ______ CR(*) (BMCR:107) (D1:11)
Golden-banded Dartwhite
(Range: Mexico to Colombia)

The Golden-banded Dartwhite is probably the most abundant Catasticta in Costa Rica, where it occurs in high-elevation wet forests from 900 to 3,800 meters.

Catasticta cerberus ______ (BMCR:106) (D1:11)
(Range: Costa Rica & Panama)

Catasticta ctemene (formerly strigosa) actinotis ______ (BMCR:106) (D1:11)
(Range: Costa Rica & Panama)

Catasticta hegemon (formerly prioneris) hegemon ______ (BMCR:106) (D1:11) (subspecies in Costa Rica & Panama)
(Range: Costa Rica to Peru)

Catasticta sisamnus sisamnus ______ (BMCR:106) (D1:11) (subspecies from Honduras to Venezuela)
(Range: Honduras to Bolivia)

Genus LEODONTA: The number of species in this genus is a matter of conjecture - some claim no more than 2 or 3; others say as many as 10! The distinctive underside pattern, however, along with their fondness for flying along pathways or by narrow stream banks makes them a rather easily recognizable group in the Neotropics.

Leodonta dysoni ______ (D1:11)
(Range: Costa Rica to Peru)
Leodonta zenobina ______
(Range: Costa Rica to Bolivia)

Genus PEREUTE: This is a grouping of mostly South American butterflies with a black ground color and strident yellow or red bands. These 8 species are actually among the most subtly beautiful PIERIDS in any region of the world, with their outstanding colors being soft rose-pinks, blue-grays, and cadmium yellow streaks and patches.
(They are similar to the Indo-Australian DELIAS group, the JEZEBELS, in their appearance and behavior.)

Pereute charops charops ______ (BMCR:108) (D1:11) (MCA:24) (subspecies from Mexico to Panama)
Surprising White
(Range: Mexico to Peru)

One of the most attractive features of both sexes of Pereute charops are the almost completely white antennae.

Pereute cheops ______ (D1:11)
(Range: Costa Rica & Panama)

Genus APPIAS: A distinctive group with strongly curved wings (especially in the males), which makes them powerful fliers. Many dwell in the rainforest. Males commonly mud-puddle. The sexes are usually completely different in color, with the females darker with more subdued coloration.
This genus occurs in Asia (mainly), Africa, and Australia, in addition to the Americas. This genus in the New World is also said by some, for structural reasons, to be GLUTOPHRISSA (with 2 species).
(Note: The APPIAS butterflies in the Old World are referred to as THE GULLS.)

Appias drusilla ______ (BAPG:357) (BMCR:107) (D1:12) (K:53) (MCA:26) (PE:7)(PW:7) (RG:39)
Tropical White (also called Florida White)
(Range: southern US, Central & South America, also West Indies)

The Tropical White occurs in lowland tropical evergreen or semideciduous forests.

Appias drusilla is an extraordinarily swift butterfly, "so swift that, in a few seconds, they traverse long distances. Not only do they fly extremely fast, but they also take their nourishment from flowers in the greatest haste. Only in imbibing water from the damp ground, where these butterflies, particularly the males, sometimes settle in large groups close together, do they allow themselves time, and engage in this activity for the moment as an amusement".


Genus LEPTOPHOBIA: 15 or 16 species whose common characteristic is the silvery-white color of the underside of the hindwing. These species occur moderate to high elevations (to about 9,000 feet, or 3,000 meters).

Leptophobia aripa aripa ______ GU(*) (BMCR:107) (D1:12) (MCA:27) (RG:40) (subspecies in Costa Rica)
Common Green-eyed White (or Mountain White)
(Range: Mexico to Brazil)
Leptophobia caesia tenuicornis ______ (BMCR:107) (D1:12) (subspecies in Costa Rica & Panama)
(Range: Mexico to Ecuador)

Genus ITABALLIA: This is a group of 4 mostly South American species whose biology is mostly, as yet, unknown.

Itaballia demophile centralis ______ (D1:12) (MCA:25) (subspecies in Central America)
Cross-barred White
(Range: Mexico to Paraguay)

Itaballia pandosia kicaha ______ (D1:12) (MCA:25) (subspecies from Honduras to Panama)
Brown-bordered White
(Range: Honduras to Venezuela)

Genus PIERIBALLIA

Pieriballia viardi (formerly mandela) noctipennis ______ (BMCR:108) (D1:12) (MCA:24) (subspecies in Costa Rica & Panama)
Painted White
(Range: Mexico to Peru)

Genus PERRHYBRIS: The 4 species in this genus are in a group of closely related genera of almost a dozen species which have very strong coloring and markings. In 1 or 2 instances, they fall into the now well-known mode of imitation-heliconid livery.

Perrhybris pamela (formerly pyrrha) alethina ______ (BMCR:108) (D1:12) (MCA:25) (subspecies in Costa Rica)
Chiapas White
(Range: Mexico to Brazil)

Perrhybris lypera septentrionalis ______ (BMCR:108) (D1:12)
(Range: Costa Rica to Ecuador)

The male of Perrhybris lypera is polymorphic.

Genus ASCIA: in North, Central, and South America. 8 species of large plain white butterflies with some brown or gray markings, especially in the females. They live in open areas.

Ascia limona ______ (D1:12) (K:53)
(Range: Mexico to Colombia)

Ascia josephina josepha ______ (D1:12)
(Range: Central & South America, also the Antilles)

Ascia monuste monuste ______ GU(*) PN(*) (BAPG:357) (BMCR:1`06) (D1:12) (K:53) (MCA:26) (PE:8)(PW:8) (RG:43) (subspecies in the mainland Americas)
Great Southern White
(Range: southern US, Central & South America, also the Antilles)

The Great Southern White occurs in coastal salt marshes & dunes; also open places such as fields & gardens; migrants in a variety of open habitats.
The migrating females are almost totally gray in color, while non-migratory females are largely yellowish-white with dark brown margins.

Genus PONTIA
Pontia protodice ______ (BAPG:29) (K:49) (MCA:26) (PW:7)
Checkered White
(Range: from the US to southern Mexico)

A Checkered White photographed during a FONT tour
(photo by Rise Hill)

Genus GANYRA: This group of North, Central, and South American butterflies are powerful fliers, and some are strong migrants. They live in open areas, and breed on members of the caper, crucifer or cabbage, and nasturtium families.
Ganyra josephina ______ (*) GU (MCA:27) (PE:8)(PW:8) (RG:44)
Giant White
(Range: Mexico & Central America, also Greater Antilles)

The Giant White occurs at forest edges, usually in seasonally dry tropical lowlands.
Ganyra phaloe ______ (MCA:27)
Felder's White

Genus PIERIS
Pieris rapae ______ (BAPG:31) (K:47) (MCA:27) (PE:7)(PE:8)
Cabbage White
(Introduced from Europe. In North America, widespread. Occurs south to southern Mexico.)

Cabbage White
(photo by Marie Gardner)

Subfamily COLIADINAE: SULPHURS
300 species worldwide

Genus COLIAS: SULPHURS. A large and successful group of "YELLOWS", "SULPHURS" and "CLOUDED YELLOWS".
Mostly in the Northern Hemisphere, in North America & Asia. Also in the Australian region, and in Africa, and Central & South America.
The sexes are often dimorphic. Many are strong migrants. They breed extensively on members of the pea family, Leguminosae.
Regarding ZERENE, sometimes considered separate from COLIAS: These have quite distinctive markings on the uppers.

Colias (or Zerene) cesonia cesonia ______ (AZ:39) (BMCR:112) (C:249) (D1:8) (F:109) (K:69) (MCA:29) (PE:10)(PW:12)(RG:48) (subspecies in Costa Rica)
(Southern) Dogface
(Range: Mexico to Argentina)

The Southern Dogface is common, particularly so where there is cattle ranching. The leguminous plants on which it breeds are used for cattle. Habitats for the species include open places, brushy hills, and weedy pastures.

Southern Dogface
(photo by Doris Potter during a FONT tour)

Colias philodice ______ (*) GU (AZ:41) (F:89) (K:61) (PE:9)(PW:10)
Clouded Sulphur (also called "Mud-puddle" from the male's behavior of drinking at puddles & streams)
(Range: North America into Mexico, with isolated population in Guatemalan highlands)

The Clouded Sulphur occurs in many open habitats, including fields, lawns, and road edges.
Colias eurytheme ______ (BAPG:37) (K:61) (MCA:29) (PW:10)
Orange Sulphur
(Range: central Canada to southern Mexico)

Orange Sulphur
(photo by Howard Eskin)

Genus ANTEOS: ANGLED SULPHURS, also called "MAMMOTH SULPHURS". In this genus, 3 species of relatively large yellow butterflies. In Central & South America. Powerful fliers, all migratory (some fly north into the southern USA). They live in open, flowery habitats, and ly high over the canopy or along rivers. Males mud-puddle.

Anteos clorinde ______ GU(*) CR(*) PN(*) (AZ:43) (BMCR:110) (D1:8) (F:78) (K:77) (MCA:29) (PE:10)(PW:12) (RG:49) (S:71)
White-angled Sulphur (or the Clorinde) (also called Ghost Brimstone)
(Range: Mexico to Paraguay)

The White-angled Sulphur occurs in open sunny areas, with various tropical plants; migrants are nearly anywhere.

White-angled Sulphur
(photographed by Doug Johnson during a FONT tour in Guatemala)

Anteos maerula ______ (*) GU (AZ:43) (BMCR:110) (D1:8) (F:78) (K:77) (MCA:29) (PE:10)(PW:12) (RG:50)
Yellow-angled Sulphur (also called Yellow Brimstone)
(Range: southern US to Colombia & Peru)

The Yellow-angled Sulphur occurs in open sunny areas, with various tropical plants; migrants nearly anywhere.

Genus PHOEBIS: GIANT SULPHURS. This grouping of 10 species is found exclusively in the Americas. They are the most conspicuous of the tropical sulphurs, being common and large. They are given to vast migrations and are often found in open areas & forest edges. They are fast flying, and all members of the genus are migrants. The sexes are dimorphic. Males, more often than females, cluster on moist sand along rivers & streams. The females usually has less active behavior, flying not far from vegetation, or simply visiting flowers.

Phoebis rurina ______ (D1:8) (F:105)
(Range: Mexico to Brazil)

Phoebis rurina is a strong migrant, it is in both lowlands & highlands.

Phoebis (or Rhabdodryas) trite trite ______ (BMCR:112) (D1:8) (MCA:29) (subspecies in Costa Rica)
Straight-lined Sulphur
(Range: Mexico to Argentina, also the Antilles)

Phoebis philea philea ______ GU(*) CR(*) PN(*) (AZ:49) (BMCR:112) (D1:8) (F:105) (K:75) (MCA:30) (PE:10)(PW:12) (RG:52) (S:70) (subspecies in Costa Rica)
Orange-barred Sulphur (also commonly known as the Yellow Apricot)
(Range: southern United States to southern Brazil)

Phoebis philea occurs at forest edges, and in city gardens. It is a common species in Costa Rica, where it is widespread. In addition to visiting flowers, males visit wet sand and mud, probably to obtain sodium. This general habit of many Pierids has been known since Henry Bates was on the Amazon.

Phoebis sennae marcellina ______ CR(*) GU(*) PN (BAPG:45) (BMCR:112) (C:247) (D1:9) (F:105) (K:75) (MCA:30) (PE:10)(PW:12) (RG:51) (subspecies in Costa Rica)
Cloudless Sulphur
(Range: southern US to Argentina, also in Antilles)

Phoebis sennae can be abundant in both lowlands & highlands. It prospers in open land, with weedy tropical & subtropical plants.

Cloudless Sulphur

Phoebis argante ______ (*) GU (BMCR:111) (D1:9) (F:104) (MCA:30) (PW:text)
Apricot Sulphur
(Range: Mexico to Paraguay)

Phoebis argante occurs in tropical forest clearings, roadsides, gardens, and pastures.

Phoebis agarithe ______ (*) GU (AZ:47) (D1:9) (F:104) (K:75) (MCA:30) (PE:10)(PW:13) (RG:53)
Large Orange Sulphur
(Range: southern US to Brazil)

Phoebis agarithe occurs in many lowland tropical open areas, including forest edges, pastures, and city gardens.

A female Large Orange Sulphur

Phoebis neocypris virgo ______ (AZ:359) (BMCR:111) (MCA:30) (PE:text)(PWp:178) (RG:54) (subspecies in Costa Rica)
Tailed Sulphur
(Range: Mexico into Central America)

Phoebis neocypris occurs especially in forests at moderate elevations.

Genus KRICOGONIA
Kricogonia lyside ______ (AZ:41) (D1:8) (K:77) (MCA:29) (PE:8)(PW:13) (RG:56)
Lyside Sulphur (or Lyside)
(Range: southern US to Venezuela, also the Antilles)

The Lyside Sulphur occurs in lowland scrub & at seasonally dry forest edges.

Genus APHRISSA: Central & South American WHITES, similar to (or part of) PHOEBIS. With shiny undersides.
Aphrissa (or Phoebis) statira statira ______ CR(*) PN(*) (sl) (D1:9) (BMCR:110) (F:80) (MCA:30) (PE:10)(PW:13) (RG:54) (subspecies in Costa Rica)
Statira (also called Yellow Migrant, Migrant Sulphur, or Statira Sulphur)
(Range: Mexico to Brazil)

Aphrissa boisduvalii ______ (BMCR:110) (D1:9) (MCA:30)
Peach-patched Sulphur
(Range: southern Mexico to Brazil & Bolivia)

Genus NATHALIS

Nathalis iole ______ (AZ:57) (K:71) (MCA:32) (PE:10)(PW:13) (RG:67)
Dainty Sulphur
(Range: North America to Guatemala, also West Indies)

The Dainty Sulphur occurs in dry open areas, including weedy fields, sandy coastal flats, and hillsides.
It is unique among SULPHURS, in several structural features, so much so that some say it belongs in a separate subfamily. Forewings elongated. It is sexually dimorphic & seasonally diphenic.

Genus EUREMA: SMALL YELLOWS. This widespread genus, of 35-40 species, has a circumtropical distribution. They are usually lemon-yellow with black borders. Males often have a long scent patch on the forewing. These are familiar little butterflies that fly along paths and roadways, usually in considerable numbers after rains. Blistering heat will often send them to pools of water or to the watering holes of cattle where the sand moistened with the animals's urine furnishes them with mineralized liquid.

Eurema (or Abaeis) nicippe ______ (AZ:57) (K:69) (MCA:32) (PE:11)(PW:13) (RG:66)
Sleepy Orange
(Range: US to Costa Rica, also West Indies)

The Sleepy Orange has a misleading common name. Some now refer to this lively, fast-flying PIERID as the "Rambling Orange". This describes the butterfly better than it official name, which refers to the small, forewing dots, whose crescent shape reminded Comstock (who named the butterfly) of closed eyes - hence ""sleepy"".

In Costa Rica, Eurema nicippe is very rare. It occurs in low areas in lower austral & subtropical zones: in open woods, pines, and open fields.

A cluster of Sleepy Oranges photographed during a FONT tour in Mexico
(photo by Doris Potter)

Eurema proterpia ______ (AZ:51) (D1:10) (F:97) (K:69) (MCA:32) (PE:11)(PW:13) (RG:62)
Tailed Orange (or Little Jaune)
(Range: southern US, thru Central & South America, also the Antilles)

Eurema proterpia occurs in seasonally dry scrub, forest edges, pastures. There are seasonally different forms of both sexes.

Eurema mexicana ______ (AZ:51) (BMCR:111) (D1:10) (F:97) (K:73) (MCA:31) (PE:11)(PW:13) (RG:60)
Mexican Yellow
(Range: southern US, thru Central & South America)

Eurema mexicana occurs on dry open hillsides, and in thorn scrub & on prairies.

Eurema salome ______ (D1:10) (K:69) (MCA:31) (PE:text) (RG:61)
Salome Yellow
(Range: southern US to Colombia & Venezuela)

Eurema salome occurs at forest edges & in openings and along road edges; at middle elevations in the tropics.

Eurema xanthochlora ______ (BMCR:111) (D1:10) (MCA:31)
Scarce Yellow
(Range: Mexico to Bolivia)

Eurema gratiosa ______ (D1:10)
(Range: Costa Rica to Venezuela)

Eurema boisduvaliana ______ (AZ:51) (D1:10) (K:73) (MCA:31) (PE:11)(PW:13) (RG:59)
Boisduval's Yellow
(Range: Mexico to Costa Rica, also the Antilles)

Habitats for the Boisduval's Yellow include thorn scrub, pastures, & roadsides.

Eurema dina westwoodii ______ (*) GU (AZ:55) (D1:10) (K:73) (MCA:31) (PE:11)(PW:13) (RG:65) (subspecies from Mexico to Panama)
Dina Yellow
(Range: southern US to Panama, also the Antilles)

The Dina Yellow occurs at edges of brushy fields & in open forests.

Eurema albula ______ (BMCR:110) (D1:10) (MCA:32) (RG:58)
Ghost Yellow
(Range: Mexico to Brazil, also West Indies)

Eurema nise ______ (AZ:53) (D1:10) (K:71) (MCA:31) (PE:11)(PW:13) (RG:64)
Mimosa Yellow (also called Jamaican Sulphur)
(Range: southern US to Argentina, also West Indies)

The Mimosa Yellow occurs at brushy edges of woods.

Eurema lisa ______ (AZ:53) (D1:10) (K:71) (MCA:31) (PE:11)(PW:13) (RG:63)
Little Yellow (or Little Sulphur)
(Range: US to Panama, also West Indies)

The Little Yellow is found in open flowery areas, also dry sandy fields, roadsides.

Eurema daira ______ PN(*) (sl) (AZ:55) (BMCR:110) (D1:10) (F:96) (K:71) (MCA:32) (PE:11)(PW:13) (RG:57)
Barred Yellow (or Barred Sulphur)
(Range: southern US to Uruguay, also West Indies)

Eurema daira has seasonal dimorphism in both sexes.

Eurema elathea ______ (D1:10)
(Range: Nicaragua to Brazil & Bolivia, also West Indies)

Eurema elathea occurs in pastures, dunes, & forest edges in tropical & subtropical zones.