Western White
Pontia occidentalis (Reakirt, 1866)
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Pierinae
Identification: Upperside of forewing has marginal markings that are lighter than the submarginal stripe. Below, forewing tip and hindwing have veins outlined with gray-green. Short-day spring and fall forms have more prominent markings.
Wing Span: 1 1/2 - 2 1/8 inches (3.8 - 5.3 cm).
Life History: Males patrol hilltops and ridges for receptive females. Females lay eggs singly on host plants. Caterpillars will feed on leaves but prefer buds, flowers, and fruits. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: One flight from June-July in far north; two flights from May-August in the south.
Caterpillar Hosts: Flowers and fruits of various members of the mustard (Brassicaceae) family.
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Mountain peaks, slopes, hilltops, railroad yards, open plains, roadsides.
Range: Alaska south to central California, northern Arizona and northern New Mexico; east to North Dakota and central Ontario.
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 noted.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 265 - 288 of 691 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 20, 1958
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. W. Tilden)
Region: Tuolumne County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Garth & Tilden)
Verified date: Oct 20, 2009
Observation date: Jul 09, 1958
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Oakley Shields)
Region: Tuolumne County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Garth & Tilden)
Verified date: Oct 20, 2009
Observation date: Aug 18, 1952
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. W. Tilden)
Region: Tuolumne County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Garth & Tilden)
Verified date: Oct 20, 2009
Observation date: Jun 23, 1935
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. W. Tilden)
Region: El Dorado County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Oct 15, 2009
Observation date: Jul 11, 2009
Submitted by: davidwdroppers (David Droppers)
Region: Chelan County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers (David Droppers)
Verified date: Aug 21, 2009
Observation date: Jul 08, 1957
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Oakley Shields)
Region: Tuolumne County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Garth & Tilden)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
Observation date: Jul 22, 1981
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
Observation date: Jul 29, 1954
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (C. H. Ericksen)
Region: Tulare County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
Observation date: Aug 25, 1956
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (K. Hughes, R. Stanford)
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Ray Stanford)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
Observation date: Aug 30, 1997
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
Observation date: Aug 04, 2000
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Bill Gendron)
Region: Madera County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
Observation date: Jul 26, 1981
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
Observation date: Apr 09, 2007
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
Observation date: Aug 19, 1958
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Oakley Shields)
Region: Tuolumne County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Garth & Tilden)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
Observation date: Aug 02, 1975
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
Observation date: Jul 31, 1954
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (C. H. Ericksen)
Region: Tulare County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
Observation date: Jun 17, 1930
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (L. Martin, C. Ingham)
Region: Fresno County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
Observation date: Aug 14, 1970
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
Observation date: Jun 10, 1996
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Bruce & Bret Boyd)
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (George T. Austin)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
Observation date: Aug 03, 1958
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (John S. Garth)
Region: Mariposa County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Garth & Tilden)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
Observation date: Aug 05, 1978
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
Observation date: Jun 27, 1999
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
Observation date: Aug 29, 1967
Submitted by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Region: Tuolumne County, California, United States
Verified by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
Observation date: Jul 07, 1987
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 18, 2009
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