North American Butterflies and Moths List

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The Registry of Nature Habitats

U.S. Geological Survey


Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of Iowa

Mexican Yellow (Eurema mexicana)
JPG -- species photo

Mexican Yellow (Eurema mexicana [Boisduval])

Wing span: 1 3/4 - 2 1/2 inches (4.4 - 6.3 cm).

Identification: Upper surface is creamy white with indented black borders which outline a "dog's head" on forewings; more pronounced in male. Hindwing with projecting tail-like points.

Life history: None reported.

Flight: Midsummer to fall as vagrant, all year in tropics.

Caterpillar hosts: Acacia and Diphysa in the pea family (Fabaceae).

Adult food: Nectar from a wide variety of flowers.

Habitat: Open, dry areas: flats, hillsides, deserts, prairies. Found in moister areas in Mexico and Central America.

Range: Resident from Central America north to South Texas and the Southwest; common vagrant in Great Plains and Southwest deserts; rare migrant to Mississippi, Arkansas, Illinois, and Michigan.

Conservation: Not usually required.

Management needs: None reported.

The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.

References:


DeVries, P. J. 1987. The butterflies of Costa Rica and their  natural

     history. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New  Jersey. 327 

     pages, 50 color plates.



Opler, P. A. and G. O. Krizek. 1984. Butterflies east of the  Great Plains. 

     Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. 294 pages, 54 color plates.



Opler, P. A. and V. Malikul. 1992. A field guide to eastern  butterflies. 

     Peterson field guide #4. Houghton-Mifflin Co.,  Boston. 396 pages, 

     48 color plates.



Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford  University 

     Press, Stanford, Calif. 583 pages, 64 color plates.

Author: Jane M. Struttmann

State and Regional References:


Nekola, Jeffrey C. 1995.  County Distribution Maps of Iowa Butterflies and 

     Skippers.  Dept. of Natural and Applied Sciences, Univ. of Wisconsin,

     Green Bay, WI.  30 pp.

     

Opler, P.A. 1998. A field guide to eastern butterflies, revised format.

     Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.     

Mexican Yellow (Eurema mexicana)
distribution map
map legend

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