Becker's White
Pontia beckerii (W.H. Edwards, 1871)
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Pierinae
Identification: Upperside of both male and female is white, with black spots near tip of forewing. Inside the forewing cell is a square black bar with a curved white center. The underside of the hindwing of both sexes has wide green edging along the veins, confined by a white median band.
Wing Span: 1 5/8 - 2 inches (4 - 5 cm).
Life History: Males patrol ravines in search of females. Females lay eggs singly on host stems, buds, leaves, flowers, and fruits.
Flight: Several flights from March-October.
Caterpillar Hosts: Plants of mustard (Brassicaceae) family including mustards (Brassica), and hedge mustard (Sisymbrium) species; and bladder-pod (Isomeris arborea) in the caper family (Capparidaceae).
Adult Food: Flower nectar including hedge mustard and alfalfa.
Habitat: Arid brushlands, desert foothills and canyons, fields.
Range: British Columbia and Alberta south to Baja California; east of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada, east and south to western Montana and New Mexico.
Conservation: Not required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None required.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 494 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 10, 2012
Submitted by: RobSimpson
Region: Park County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Mar 24, 2025
Observation date: Apr 15, 2024
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 10, 2024
Observation date: May 20, 2024
Submitted by: mongoose
Region: Deschutes County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 03, 2024
Observation date: Jun 18, 2023
Submitted by: azntaiji
Region: Deschutes County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 15, 2023
Observation date: Sep 04, 2023
Submitted by: dfagan746
Region: Deschutes County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 06, 2023
Observation date: Jun 27, 2016
Submitted by: Robb Hannawacker
Region: San Juan County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Jul 28, 2018
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Tooele County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Jul 08, 2016
Submitted by: K Stilwell
Region: Grand County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Apr 23, 2022
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Deschutes County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 19, 2023
Observation date: Aug 15, 2023
Submitted by: PaulaLyons
Region: El Dorado County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 16, 2023
Observation date: Aug 01, 2023
Submitted by: Thom Garrett
Region: Missoula County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 07, 2023
Observation date: Jul 19, 2023
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Washoe County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 21, 2023
Observation date: Jun 02, 2023
Submitted by: J Tinsman
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 08, 2023
Observation date: May 24, 2023
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Sweetwater County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: May 30, 2023
Observation date: May 17, 2023
Submitted by: mashoop58
Region: San Juan County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 19, 2023
Observation date: Apr 26, 2023
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Yakima County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 01, 2023
Observation date: Mar 18, 2023
Submitted by: J Tinsman
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 18, 2023
Observation date: Jul 16, 2022
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Lake County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 07, 2023
Observation date: Jun 17, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Jun 21, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Aug 21, 2022
Submitted by: Thom Garrett
Region: Missoula County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 22, 2022
Observation date: Jul 19, 2022
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Ouray County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 31, 2022
Observation date: Jul 22, 2022
Submitted by: kathy lichtendahl
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 23, 2022
Observation date: Jul 05, 2022
Submitted by: bristolmpu
Region: Harney County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 17, 2022
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