North American Butterflies and Moths List

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Butterflies of North America

Mead's Sulphur (Colias meadii)
JPG -- species photo

Mead's Sulphur (Colias meadii W. H. Edwards)

Wing span: 1 1/2 - 2 inches (3.8 - 5.1 cm).

Identification: Upperside of male deep reddish orange with wide, dull black border; female lighter orange, border containing orange spots. Underside of both sexes greenish-yellow, with hindwing white spot circled in red.

Life history: Males patrol open tundra for females. Females lay eggs singly on host plant leaves, which are then eaten by the caterpillars. Third-stage caterpillars overwinter.

Flight: One flight from July-August.

Caterpillar hosts: Plants in the pea family (Fabaceae) including clover (Trifolium) and Astragalus species.

Adult food: Flower nectar including alpine sunflower and asters.

Habitat: At or near treeline in high mountains, tundra, subalpine meadows.

Range: Restricted to the Rocky Mountains from Alberta south to Colorado.

Conservation: Not usually required.

Management needs: Not reported.

The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.

References:


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

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



Tilden, J. W. 1986. A field guide to western butterflies.  Houghton-Mifflin 

     Co., Boston, Mass. 370 pages, 23 color plates.

Author: Jane M. Struttmann

Mead's Sulphur (Colias meadii)
distribution map
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