North American Ecology (US and Canada)
provided by North American Butterfly Knowledge Network
Resident in western North America (Scott 1986). Habitats are CONIFEROUS FORESTS, SAGEBRUSH, GRASSLAND, OPEN OAK WOODLAND IN CA. Host plants are usually herbaceous including many species, mostly in one family, LEGUMINOSAE. Eggs are laid on the host plant singly. One or two flights based on latitude with the approximate flight time MAR1-AUG30 depending on latitude (Scott 1986).
Conservation Status
provided by University of Alberta Museums
Not of concern.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- University of Alberta Museums
Cyclicity
provided by University of Alberta Museums
Two broods, peaking in late May to mid June and late July to mid August.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- University of Alberta Museums
Distribution
provided by University of Alberta Museums
This species occurs from central BC across to southern Saskatchewan, south to California and New Mexico (Opler 1999). In Alberta, it occurs chiefly along the southern reaches of the Red Deer River valley and southward. The depiction of locality records throughout the Alberta foothills in Layberry et al. (1998) is incorrect, and may be referable to C. christina; these two species were once considered to be variations of the same species.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- University of Alberta Museums
General Description
provided by University of Alberta Museums
A combination of the following traits will usually distinguish this species: hindwing underside quite greenish, with no row of dark spots and an unbordered, silver discal spot; upperside bright, cold-yellow with no trace of orange. It is found only in prairie (rarely in the southern foothills) grassland habitat.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- University of Alberta Museums
Habitat
provided by University of Alberta Museums
Gravelly and eroding prairie grasslands.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- University of Alberta Museums
Life Cycle
provided by University of Alberta Museums
The eggs of Colorado populations are at first yellow-green, then turning pink, and are conical in shape with longitudinal ridges (Guppy & Shepard 2001). Mature larvae are black-dotted and green, with alternating dark and light longitudinal stripes (Layberry et al. 1998, Guppy & Shepard 2001). In Colorado, third instar larvae overwinter (Guppy & Shepard 2001). Pupae are yellowish-green with light markings that mimic leaf veins (Guppy & Shepard 2001).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- University of Alberta Museums
Trophic Strategy
provided by University of Alberta Museums
There are no larval or adult diet data available for Alberta populations. A number of legume species are known larval host plants in the US, as summarized by Guppy & Shepard (2001). They include members of the genera Astragalus, Lathyrus, Oxytropis and Thermopsis which are all legumes (Fabaceae).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- University of Alberta Museums
Colias alexandra
provided by wikipedia EN
Colias alexandra, the Queen Alexandra's sulphur, Alexandra sulphur, or ultraviolet sulfur, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae found in western North America. Its range includes Alaska to the Northwest Territories and south to Arizona and New Mexico.[1]
Description
Wingspan is from 38 to 57 mm.[1] In the male above similar to Colias philodice, but has more glossy yellow ground colour with orange-yellow tinge, particularly on the hindwing. The under surface, however, is very different in both sexes, namely silver grey on the hindwing with silvery median spot. The female is light yellow, has a small dark distal margin to the forewing or none at all, but black median spot, and is sometimes suffused with orange yellow.
Biology
Flight period is from mid-May until August.[1]
Larvae feed on Thermopsis, Astragalus, Lathyrus, Oxytropis, and Lupinus species.[1][2]
Subspecies
Listed alphabetically:[2]
-
C. a. alexandra (Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Alberta, Saskatchewan)
-
C. a. apache Ferris, 1988 (Arizona, New Mexico)
-
C. a. columbiensis Ferris, 1973 (British Columbia, Alberta, Washington, Idaho, Montana)
-
C. a. edwardsii Edwards, 1870 (Nevada, California, Oregon, Idaho, Washington)
Taxonomy
Colias alexandra and Colias christina have in the past been considered conspecific. Ferris[3] recognized them as separate species in studies, based on geographic distribution, habitat preferences, female wing pattern, and male ultraviolet wing patterns. Colias alexandra is also closely related to, and sympatric with, Colias occidentalis.[4]
References
-
^ a b c d Queen Alexandra's Sulphur, Butterflies of Canada
-
^ a b Colias at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
-
^ Ferris, C. D. 1993. Reassessment of the Colias alexandra group, the legume-feeding species, and preliminary cladistic analysis of the North American Colias (Pieridae: Coliadinae). Bulletin of the Allyn Museum. (138):1-91
-
^ Paul C. Hammond & David V. Mccorkle, 2003 A new desert subspecies of Colias occidentalis (Pieridae) from southeastern Oregon Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 57(4),2003,274-278 [1]
- license
- cc-by-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors
Colias alexandra: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
Colias alexandra, the Queen Alexandra's sulphur, Alexandra sulphur, or ultraviolet sulfur, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae found in western North America. Its range includes Alaska to the Northwest Territories and south to Arizona and New Mexico.
- license
- cc-by-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors
