North American Butterflies and Moths List

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Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of Florida

Boisduval's Yellow (Eurema boisduvaliana)
JPG -- species photo

Boisduval's Yellow (Eurema boisduvaliana [Felder & Felder])

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

Identification: Upperside lemon yellow with black borders; each hindwing slightly pointed. Male forewing with weak "dog's head" pattern; hindwing with wide black border projecting into yellow ground. Female forewing with black at apex; hindwing with narrow black edge.

Life history: Males patrol flats and gullies for females.

Flight: April-November in south Texas and northward, throughout the year in tropics.

Caterpillar hosts: Cassias (Cassia species) in the pea family (Fabaceae).

Adult food: Flower nectar.

Habitat: Subtropical forests and forest edges, scrub, roadsides, pastures.

Range: Costa Rica north to Mexico. Rare in south Florida (recorded only twice in the Keys); regular migrant to southeast Arizona, southwest New Mexico, and South Texas.

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:


Gerberg, E.J. and Arnett, R.H., Jr.  Florida Butterflies.  Natural Science

     Publications, Inc.  Baltimore, MD.  90 pp.



Kimball, C.P.  1965.  Arthropods of Florida and Neighboring Land Areas - Vol. 1:

     Lepidoptera of Florida.  Div. of Plant Industry, State of Florida Dept. 

     of Agriculture.  Gainesville, FL.  363 pp. 



Minno, M.C. and Emmel, T.C.  1993.  Butterflies of the Florida Keys.  Scientific

     Publishers.  Gainesville, FL.  168 pp.

     

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

     Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.     



Smith, D.S., Miller, L.D. and Miller, J.Y.  1994.  The Butterflies of the West

     Indies and South Florida.  Oxford Univ. Press.  Oxford, U.K.  264 pp.

Boisduval's Yellow (Eurema boisduvaliana)
distribution map
map legend

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