Colias occidentalis

Scudder, 1862

western sulphur, golden sulphur

Colias occidentalis is a -sized in the , found in the Pacific Northwest of North America. from late May to early July and are associated with open from sea level to subalpine elevations. The feed on flowers of several legume . The was described by Scudder in 1862 and includes three recognized with somewhat distinct geographic ranges.

Colias occidentalis by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Colias occidentalis: /ˈkoʊ.li.əs ˌɒk.sɪˈdɛn.tə.lɪs/

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Images

Habitat

Ocean bluffs, forest openings, mountain slopes, and subalpine meadows. Occupies elevations from coastal lowlands to subalpine zones.

Distribution

Pacific Northwest of North America, including parts of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. C. o. occidentalis occurs in British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon; C. o. chrysomelas in California and Oregon; C. o. sullivani in Oregon.

Seasonality

period from late May until early July.

Diet

feed on flowers of Vicia spp., Lupinus spp., Lathyrus spp., and Thermopsis spp. diet not specified in sources.

Similar Taxa

Colias eurythemeBoth are sulphur in the Colias found in western North America. C. eurytheme (orange sulphur/alfalfa butterfly) is more widespread in lowland agricultural areas and has a longer season; C. occidentalis is restricted to the Pacific Northwest and associated with natural from coast to subalpine zones.