Giant White
Ganyra josephina (Godart, 1819)
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Pierinae
Identification: Large. Cell of upper forewing of male contains prominent round black spot. Wet-season female has black cell spot and also diffuse black postmedian spots. Veins outlined with black near wing margins. Dry-season female not so prominently marked.
Wing Span: 2 7/8 - 3 3/4 inches (7.3 - 9.6 cm).
Life History: Female lays single eggs on older host plant leaves, which the caterpillars then eat.
Flight: From September-December in south Texas.
Caterpillar Hosts: Trees in the caper (Capparidaceae) family.
Adult Food: Flower nectar including lantana, eupatorium, and bougainvilla.
Habitat: Open, dry, subtropical forests.
Range: South from south Texas through Mexico and Central America. A rare stray to Kansas and New Mexico.
Conservation: Not required for periodic stray.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None noted.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 64 verified sightings
Observation date: Nov 21, 2024
Submitted by: Nick Elf
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Feb 21, 2025
Observation date: Nov 27, 2024
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 04, 2024
Observation date: Sep 18, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Oct 21, 2024
Observation date: Dec 29, 2021
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 15, 2024
Observation date: Aug 13, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Sep 09, 2024
Observation date: Aug 08, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Aug 27, 2024
Observation date: Aug 02, 2024
Submitted by: Raul Delgado
Region: Texas, Webb County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 13, 2024
Observation date: Jul 22, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jul 26, 2024
Observation date: Jun 18, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jun 19, 2024
Observation date: May 18, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jun 12, 2023
Observation date: Nov 25, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Nayarit, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 26, 2023
Observation date: Feb 24, 2019
Submitted by: David F Smith
Region: Sinaloa, Mexico
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 26, 2023
Observation date: Nov 19, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Nayarit, Mexico
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 26, 2023
Observation date: Nov 19, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Nayarit, Mexico
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 26, 2023
Observation date: Nov 10, 2022
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Texas, Starr County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 16, 2023
Observation date: Jan 15, 2019
Submitted by: David F Smith
Region: Sonora, Mexico
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Dec 15, 2022
Observation date: Jul 29, 2022
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Nov 30, 2022
Observation date: Aug 01, 2020
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Nov 30, 2022
Observation date: Jul 26, 2020
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Nov 30, 2022
Observation date: Jun 21, 2020
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Nov 30, 2022
Observation date: Aug 13, 2019
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Nov 30, 2022
Observation date: Aug 02, 2019
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Nov 30, 2022
Observation date: Jul 23, 2018
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Nov 30, 2022
Observation date: Jul 08, 2018
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Nov 30, 2022
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