This smallest North American Pierid has a wingspan of approximately 3/4 to 1 1/8 inches. The forewing is yellow above with broad black forewing tips and black bars along the costal and inner margins. The black is more extensive on the female which also often has black borders. The hindwing above is pale yellow. Below, the wings are yellow with various amounts of gray scaling.
This butterfly is more common some years than others. It moves north from Mexico each spring and usually reaches our area in fall. It follows major river corridors and can colonize weedy areas and breed rapidly. It perishes in winter as it cannot survive freezing temperatures in northern climates.
The mature caterpillar is about 5/8” in length. It is dark green with purple back stripes and parallel yellow and black side stripes. Larval host plants are composites such as sneezeweed, bur marigold and common chickweed.
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