Attributes of Pontia protodice
Checkered White
Pontia protodice (Boisduval & Leconte, [1830])
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Pierinae
Identification: Upperside of male forewing has black checkered pattern on outer half. Female is more heavily patterned, but markings are more brown and diffuse. Hindwing of both male and female white. Underside of male hindwing with pale checkered pattern. Underside of female with yellow-tan markings on hindwing and tip of forewing. Short-day form has underside hindwing veins with heavy gray-green outlines.
Wing Span: 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 inches (3.8 - 6.3 cm).
Life History: Males patrol flats seeking receptive females, who lay eggs singly on leaves and flowers of host plants. Buds, flowers, and fruits are favorite foods of caterpillars, but they will also eat leaves. A short-day form appears in spring and fall. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: Three flights, with a partial 4th in the South, from March-November.
Caterpillar Hosts: Plants in the mustard family (Brassicaceae) including cabbage (Brassica oleraceae); and caper family (Capparidaceae) including Rocky Mountain bee-plant (Cleome serrulata).
Adult Food: Flower nectar including hedge mustards, composites, and alfalfa.
Habitat: Wide variety of sites including dry weedy areas, vacant lots, fields, pastures, sandy areas, railroad beds, and roads.
Range: Permanent resident in southern United States and northern Mexico; temporary in northern United States and southern Canada. Does not occur in most of New England.
Conservation: Not required.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None noted.
Taxonomy Notes:
Images of Pontia protodice
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The map below displays all verified sighting records in the BAMONA database for this species. Each record is indicated with a yellow dot. The orange dots on the map provide access to information about the 400 most recently verified sightings of this species. In some instances, there are several records at the same location. Use the table view to access these records.
Instructions: Click on the map and move your mouse to pan.
Zoom by using the plus [+] and minus [-] on the left side of the map.
To change which map layers are displayed, click on the plus sign [+] on the right side of the map.
The fifty most recently verified sightings are below. See more recently verified sightings of all species.
| Observation Date | Submitter | Region |
Verified Date |
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May 12, 2013 | aahewetson | Hood County, Texas, United States | May 14, 2013 | Details |
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March 31, 2013 | fitzclarke@bellsouth.net | Chatham County, Georgia, United States | May 13, 2013 | Details |
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April 29, 2013 | Englishman | Hernando County, Florida, United States | May 09, 2013 | Details |
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May 05, 2013 | jjflossem | Hernando County, Florida, United States | May 09, 2013 | Details |
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May 01, 2013 | CA Ivy | Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States | May 03, 2013 | Details |
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April 21, 2013 | mdolomieu1 | Greene County, Missouri, United States | April 21, 2013 | Details |
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March 18, 2013 | Ellen | Coryell County, Texas, United States | March 19, 2013 | Details |
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September 22, 2012 | CA Ivy | Adair County, Oklahoma, United States | March 18, 2013 | Details |
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February 17, 2013 | Ajames94 | Payne County, Oklahoma, United States | March 18, 2013 | Details |
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August 04, 2012 | aahewetson | Crane County, Texas, United States | February 08, 2013 | Details |
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November 02, 2012 | CA Ivy | Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States | January 29, 2013 | Details |
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November 07, 2012 | CA Ivy | Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States | January 29, 2013 | Details |
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November 07, 2012 | CA Ivy | Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States | January 29, 2013 | Details |
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November 03, 2012 | ysv00 | El Paso County, Texas, United States | January 05, 2013 | Details |
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September 21, 2012 | betjas | Henry County, Tennessee, United States | December 30, 2012 | Details |
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December 01, 2012 | wayne.schaffner | Berrien County, Georgia, United States | December 04, 2012 | Details |
| June 13, 1983 | legacy.reporter (Clifford D. Ferris) | Apache County, Arizona, United States | December 01, 2012 | Details | |
| July 18, 1996 | legacy.reporter (Robert L. Langston) | Pershing County, Nevada, United States | December 01, 2012 | Details | |
| July 23, 1996 | legacy.reporter (Robert L. Langston) | Pershing County, Nevada, United States | December 01, 2012 | Details | |
| July 22, 1996 | legacy.reporter (Robert L. Langston) | Eureka County, Nevada, United States | December 01, 2012 | Details | |
| July 15, 1997 | legacy.reporter (Robert L. Langston) | Humboldt County, Nevada, United States | December 01, 2012 | Details | |
| May 01, 2001 | legacy.reporter (Ray Stanford) | Navajo County, Arizona, United States | December 01, 2012 | Details | |
| September 21, 2012 | legacy.reporter (Sara Bright / Paulette Ogard) | Perry County, Alabama, United States | December 01, 2012 | Details | |
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July 21, 2012 | Pruitt | Alachua County, Florida, United States | November 07, 2012 | Details |
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November 03, 2012 | bjones7777 | Decatur County, Tennessee, United States | November 05, 2012 | Details |
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April 27, 2012 | jeffmci9 | Texas, Travis County, United States | November 04, 2012 | Details |
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April 27, 2012 | Jim Edsall | Worcester County, Maryland, United States | November 01, 2012 | Details |
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October 23, 2012 | CA Ivy | Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States | October 30, 2012 | Details |
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April 13, 2008 | opiliones | San Bernardino County, California, United States | October 16, 2012 | Details |
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September 16, 2012 | Tonia Graves | Cochise County, Arizona, United States | October 14, 2012 | Details |
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September 29, 2012 | jim8435wisc | Columbia County, Wisconsin, United States | October 06, 2012 | Details |
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October 03, 2012 | AJ Trently | Lewis County, Tennessee, United States | October 06, 2012 | Details |
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September 23, 2012 | Peg Lucas | Mercer County, Kentucky, United States | October 02, 2012 | Details |
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September 26, 2012 | Marty Silver | Greene County, Tennessee, United States | September 28, 2012 | Details |
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September 23, 2012 | stephen stedman | Overton County, Tennessee, United States | September 24, 2012 | Details |
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September 06, 2012 | Jeff Trahan | Hidalgo County, New Mexico, United States | September 21, 2012 | Details |
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September 13, 2012 | Alice | Greene County, Indiana, United States | September 15, 2012 | Details |
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September 11, 2012 | Becky Byrum | Delaware County, Indiana, United States | September 11, 2012 | Details |
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May 30, 2012 | Jeff Trahan | Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States | September 10, 2012 | Details |
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August 31, 2012 | Howell Curtis | Floyd County, Indiana, United States | September 01, 2012 | Details |
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July 24, 2012 | csgee | Cochise County, Arizona, United States | August 22, 2012 | Details |
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August 05, 2012 | Melinda Fawver | Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States | August 18, 2012 | Details |
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August 17, 2012 | Howell Curtis | Washington County, Indiana, United States | August 17, 2012 | Details |
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August 11, 2012 | C bennett | Putnam County, Indiana, United States | August 11, 2012 | Details |
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August 11, 2012 | C bennett | Putnam County, Indiana, United States | August 11, 2012 | Details |
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July 16, 2012 | jomarlin | Hendry County, Florida, United States | August 04, 2012 | Details |
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September 06, 2010 | Stylurus | Livingston County, Michigan, United States | August 03, 2012 | Details |
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July 03, 2012 | dspicer | Brewster County, Texas, United States | August 01, 2012 | Details |
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April 21, 2012 | fragglecat | Comal County, Texas, United States | July 26, 2012 | Details |
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September 10, 2011 | Shane Patterson | Poweshiek County, Iowa, United States | July 22, 2012 | Details |
