Southern Dogface
Zerene cesonia (Stoll, 1790)
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Coliadinae
Identification: Upperside forewings of both sexes have yellow "dog's head" surrounded by black. "Eye" does not touch black border. Female similar, with duller, more diffuse black areas and 2 seasonal forms: underside hindwing of wet season "summer" form is yellow; that of dry season "winter" form is mottled with black and pink.
Wing Span: 2 1/8 - 3 inches (5.4 - 7.6 cm).
Life History: Males patrol open areas for females. Eggs are laid on the undersides of terminal leaves of host plants. Adults overwinter in reproductive arrest.
Flight: Three flights in the southern states from May-June, July-August, and September-April. Northern colonists have one generation per year, or do not reproduce at all.
Caterpillar Hosts: Small-leaved plants in the pea family (Fabaceae) including alfalfa (Medicago sativa); prairie clovers, indigo (Dalea), and clover (Trifolium) species.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including alfalfa, coreopsis, houstonia, and verbena.
Habitat: Dry, open areas such as short-grass prairie hills, scrub oak groves, open woodland, washes, road edges.
Range: Resident in South America north to southern Texas and peninsular Florida. Stray or temporary resident from central California northeast through the Great Lakes area and all the eastern states.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 1283 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 12, 2020
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Sep 16, 2020
Observation date: Sep 14, 2020
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Sep 16, 2020
Observation date: Aug 07, 2020
Submitted by: Ann Shapiro
Region: Wilson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Aug 22, 2020
Observation date: Jun 28, 2020
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Hempstead County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 07, 2020
Observation date: Aug 01, 2020
Submitted by: Jonathan Clark
Region: La Salle Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 05, 2020
Observation date: Jan 15, 2014
Submitted by: cjbruchman
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Jul 24, 2020
Observation date: Jul 10, 2020
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 11, 2020
Observation date: Jun 30, 2020
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Mohave County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Jul 08, 2020
Observation date: Jun 13, 2020
Submitted by: joeschelling
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 05, 2020
Observation date: Jun 17, 2020
Submitted by: James Lofton
Region: Roosevelt County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 28, 2020
Observation date: Sep 04, 2016
Submitted by: schaarschmidt
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Jun 18, 2020
Observation date: Mar 16, 2020
Submitted by: A_baldini
Region: Culberson County, Texas, United States
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: Mar 21, 2020
Observation date: Dec 27, 2018
Submitted by: gpstewart
Region: Aransas County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 17, 2020
Observation date: Nov 21, 2006
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Pinal County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Feb 07, 2020
Observation date: May 15, 2019
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Jan 27, 2020
Observation date: Jan 05, 2020
Submitted by: Eric Wood
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 20, 2020
Observation date: Oct 05, 2019
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Hempstead County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Nov 24, 2019
Observation date: Nov 05, 2019
Submitted by: Rmclaughlin
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 06, 2019
Observation date: Jan 25, 2017
Submitted by: Craig M Lipski
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 19, 2019
Observation date: Oct 08, 2019
Submitted by: Jonathan Clark
Region: La Salle Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 14, 2019
Observation date: Oct 02, 2019
Submitted by: dtibbetts
Region: Dearborn County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Oct 14, 2019
Observation date: Aug 16, 2019
Submitted by: Markus M
Region: Jalisco, Mexico
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Sep 05, 2019
Observation date: Sep 02, 2019
Submitted by: susancbm
Region: White County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 03, 2019
Observation date: Sep 02, 2019
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 02, 2019
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