Eurema daira Hodges #4243

Barred Sulphur
Barred Yellow

Florida native

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This small butterfly can be found in open pine woods, dunes, patures and other disturbed sites throughout Florida. The range extends into the southeastern United States from Virginia to Texas, being more frequent in the coastal regions. The predominant range also extends from the Rio Grande River south into Argentina. Strays into Arizona, New Mexico and the central states north of Texas.
Can be seen year-round in Florida, more abundant from August through October. This species overwinters in the adult stage with a different color form.
The barred sulphur is a small yellow butterfly with black wingtips and a black bar along the rear margin of the forewing (upper side). There is usually some black along the outer margins of the hindwings. Females are paler than males, sometimes nearly white, and the black bar on the lower margin of the forewings is much fainter or nearly absent. The winter forms of both sexes are a brighter yellow with less black on the hindwings. The undersides of the hindwings are gray to satiny white in summer and brown to red in winter. Wingspans are 2.5 - 3.7 cm ( 1 to 1-1/2 in.). The caterpillar is slender, bright green with a narrow whitish line along the side and having short hairs. The pupa is green with dark spots, flattened sideways coming to a sharp point at the head.
Host plants include the pea family - Fabaceae, vetches, and pencilflowers.
More information on these butterflies can be found at Butterflies and Moths of North America

Eurema daira is a member of the Pieridae - Whites & Sulphurs family.

iNaturalist profile for this species

For more information on this species, visit the following link:
Bugguide.net page for this species

Date record last modified: Sep 21, 2023