Pierid
Guides
Anthocharis midea
Falcate Orangetip
A univoltine pierid butterfly native to eastern North America, characterized by the orange-tipped forewings of males and distinctive green marbled hindwing undersides. Adults emerge in early spring and live approximately one week. The species specializes on Brassicaceae host plants, with documented ecological trap dynamics involving the invasive plant Alliaria petiolata.
Eurema daira
Barred Yellow, Fairy Yellow, Barred Sulphur
Eurema daira is a small pierid butterfly exhibiting seasonal diphenism, with distinct wet and dry season morphs. The species ranges from Argentina northward through Central America, the Caribbean, and into the southern United States. Adults are active year-round in southern portions of the range, with notable dry-season emigration behavior where wet-season morphs (particularly females) move upslope 40–50 km and up to 2,000 m higher in elevation. The species has been documented as a principal pollinator of Cnidoscolus urens.
Glutophrissa drusilla
Florida White, tropical white
Glutophrissa drusilla is a pierid butterfly known as the Florida White or tropical white. It occurs from tropical America northward to southern Florida and the Florida Keys, with occasional records as far north as Nebraska and Colorado. The species is associated with tropical lowland forests and is the only representative of its genus in North America. It is frequently observed in coastal Texas and has been recorded from multiple localities in Colombia.
Itaballia demophile
Cross-barred White, Crossbarred White, Black-banded White
Itaballia demophile is a small pierid butterfly distributed from the southern United States through Central America to Paraguay. It occupies disturbed habitats and has a wingspan of 30–35 mm. The species exhibits considerable geographic variation, with ten recognized subspecies. Larvae are specialized feeders on Capparis species.
Nathalis iole
dainty sulphur, dwarf yellow
Nathalis iole, commonly known as the dainty sulphur or dwarf yellow, is the smallest North American pierid butterfly. It exhibits remarkable morphological variability, including seasonal wing coloration changes and distinctive structural features that have prompted suggestions it warrants a separate subfamily within Pieridae. The species occupies diverse open habitats, migrates south for winter survival, and has been documented performing elaborate courtship displays including a newly described facultative male display behavior.
Pieriballia
painted white, viardi white
Pieriballia is a monotypic genus of pierid butterflies erected by Alexander Barrett Klots in 1933. Its sole species, Pieriballia viardi, occurs from Mexico southward through Central and South America to Bolivia and Paraguay. The genus is characterized by moderate size, with wingspans around 57 mm, and association with rainforest and cloud forest habitats. Larval development has been documented on Capparis pseudocacao.
Pontia
whites
Pontia is a genus of pierid butterflies in the family Pieridae, commonly referred to as the "whites." These butterflies are distributed across the Holarctic region, with species found in North America, Europe, and Asia, though they are relatively rare in central and eastern North America and Europe. Several species formerly classified in Pontia have been reassigned to the genus Sinopieris. The genus includes well-known species such as the Checkered White (Pontia protodice) and the Spring White (Pontia sisymbrii).