Numbers
local and uncommon
one of 5 species in this genus in North America listed at
nearctica.comSize
wingspan 30-40 mm in Canada (
Butterflies of Canada); 35-51 mm in United States (
nearctica.com)
Identification
Adult: forewing upperside chalky white with gray bar at end of cell, and light gray tip; hindwing underside with greenish-yellow marbling forming three distinct bands with large white spaces between; fresh specimens have pinkish tinge on wings
Larva: body green, striped along its length with gray and yellow
Range
mostly midwestern US and southcentral Canada (western Quebec south through Appalachians to Tennesse, west to Texas and New Mexico, north to Alberta)
Habitat
dry grassy knolls, dry meadows, open woodlands, alvars and old sand dunes
Season
adults fly in late May and early June in the north; April to July in the south
Food
larvae feed on buds, flowers, and fruit of
rockcress (
Arabis spp.) and
Hedge Mustard (
Sisymbrium officinale)
adults nectar on flowers of rock cress, chickweed, Phlox, and Houstonia
Life Cycle
female lays single egg on flower bud of host plant; overwinters as a pupa inside chrysalis; one generation per year
See Also
Large Marble (
E. ausonides) has a more complex marbling pattern on underside of hindwing; other
Euchloe species have more extensive green and less white on hindwing underside (
compare images of several species)
Internet References
pinned adult images plus description, biology, flight season, foodplants, habitat, distribution, US range map (nearctica.com)
pinned adult image plus description, distribution, similar species, foodplants, status, flight season, habitat, remarks (Butterflies of Canada)
