 |
 
 |
|
|
|
Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea Hübner)
Wing span: 1 3/8 - 1 3/4 inches (3.5 - 4.5 cm).
Identification: Upperside of male forewing with orange, hooked tip; females hooked, but lack orange; both have round black spot in cell. Underside of hindwing has finely-patterned green marbling.
Life history: Males patrol for females. Only one egg is laid per host plant, singly on a flower stalk. Caterpillars feed on buds, flowers, and seed pods. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: One flight from March-June.
Caterpillar hosts: Plants of the mustard (Brassicaceae) family including rock cress (Arabis) and winter cress (Barbarea) species.
Adult food: Flower nectar including flowers of mustards, violets, and others.
Habitat: Open, wet woods along waterways, open swamps, occasionally dry woods and ridgetops.
Range: Southern New England southwest to south Texas, north to eastern Oklahoma and Kansas. Local populations or strays to Florida panhandle, eastern Nebraska, and southern Wisconsin.
Conservation: Not usually required.
Management needs: Not 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:
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:
Glassberg, J. 1993. Butterflies Through Binoculars: A Field Guide to
Butterflies in the Boston-New York-Washington Region. Oxford Univ.
Press, New York, N.Y. 160 pp.
Layberry, R.A., Hall, P.W. & Lafontaine, D.J., 1998. The Butterflies of
Canada. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, ON. 280 pp.
Opler, P.A. 1998. A field guide to eastern butterflies, revised format.
Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.
|
 1999 -
All Rights Reserved
| |