Pacific Orangetip
Anthocharis sara Lucas, 1852
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Pierinae
Identification: Upperside of male forewing with large, orange-red spot; border of apex dark, narrow. Female spot smaller; dark border with white wedges. Underside of hindwing with scattered, dark-green marbling. Late spring individuals are larger with less black and hyave yellow green marbling below. Some individuals are yellow.
Wing Span: 1 1/16 - 1 1/2 inches (2.7 - 4.0 cm).
Life History: Males patrol, mostly in valleys, for females. Eggs are laid singly near tops of host plants. Young caterpillars feed on flower buds, older ones on flowers and fruits. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: One flight during June in Alaska; primary flight on California coast from February-April with a second partial flight from May-June.
Caterpillar Hosts: Plants in the mustard (Brassicaceae) family especially rock cresses such as tower mustard. In California, presence of late flowering \"true\"" mustards (Brassica species) allows extended larval feeding and a partial second flight."
Adult Food: Flower nectar, including that of host mustards, thistles, fiddleneck, and brodiaeas.
Habitat: Open oak woods in hills, orchards, fields, meadows, streamcourses, canyons.
Range: Alaska coast south to Baja California mainly to west of Pacific divide.
Conservation: Conserve restricted populations.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Preserve host plant and flyway habitats.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 411 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 18, 2019
Submitted by: emmapelton
Region: Multnomah County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 17, 2020
Observation date: Mar 13, 2020
Submitted by: asabspade
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 13, 2020
Observation date: Mar 10, 2020
Submitted by: Samela95437
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 11, 2020
Observation date: Feb 19, 2020
Submitted by: Selwyn Quan
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 10, 2020
Observation date: Mar 04, 2020
Submitted by: Zencoyote
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 06, 2020
Observation date: Feb 25, 2020
Submitted by: alicecas
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 26, 2020
Observation date: Feb 17, 2020
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Riverside County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 22, 2020
Observation date: Feb 15, 2020
Submitted by: mhumphri
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 17, 2020
Observation date: Feb 04, 2020
Submitted by: Zencoyote
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 06, 2020
Observation date: Mar 05, 2018
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 21, 2020
Observation date: May 25, 2019
Submitted by: XplorMor Intern...
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 18, 2019
Observation date: Apr 24, 2019
Submitted by: GI JAG
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 15, 2019
Observation date: Jul 20, 2019
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 21, 2019
Observation date: Jun 10, 2019
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 20, 2019
Observation date: Jun 02, 2019
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 02, 2019
Observation date: May 01, 2019
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 30, 2019
Observation date: May 13, 2019
Submitted by: ev-vin
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 26, 2019
Observation date: May 11, 2019
Submitted by: jmthornton
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 16, 2019
Observation date: May 11, 2019
Submitted by: jmthornton
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 16, 2019
Observation date: May 01, 2019
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 03, 2019
Observation date: Apr 16, 2019
Submitted by: Zencoyote
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 17, 2019
Observation date: Mar 30, 2019
Submitted by: sarabseth
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 31, 2019
Observation date: Mar 03, 2019
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 06, 2019
Observation date: Feb 22, 2019
Submitted by: lbruby
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 22, 2019
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