North American Butterflies and Moths List

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Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of Massachusetts

Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea)
JPG -- species photo

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.     
Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea)
distribution map
map legend

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