Sunday, February 26, 2012

The Checkered White

The Checkered White (Pontia protodice), also called Southern Cabbage Butterfly, is a common North American butterfly in the family Pieridae. Its green larva is a type of cabbage worm.


Checkered White feeding on an Indian Blanket flower




Description
The upper side of the wings are white and marked with black and gray, more so on the female. The underside of the hindwings are marked with extensive yellow-brown veins. The wingspan is 1.25-1.75 in.

Habitat
This butterfly may be seen flying in fields or along roadsides.

Nectar plants
Checkered Whites have been seen nectaring on mustards, composites, and alfalfa.

Host plants
larva

Its host plants include Brazos Rockcress (Arabis petiolaris), Sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia), Black Mustard (Brassica nigra), Broccoli (Brassica oleraceae italica), Brussel Sprouts (Brassica oleraceae gemmifera), Cabbage (Brassica oleraceae capitata), Cauliflower (Brassica oleraceae botrytis), Turnip (Brassica rapa), Pinnate Tansy-Mustard (Descurainia pinnata), Fixweed Tansy-Mustard (Descurainia sophia), Prairie Pepperweed (Lepidium densiflorum), Virginia Pepper-Grass (Lepidium virginicum), Radish (Raphanus sativus), Tumble Mustard (Sisymbrium altissimum), and Field Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense).

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontia_protodice

check also http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Pontia-protodice for more information

All images on this site © Sari O'Neal - do not copy
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