Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Mimosa Yellow
Pyrisitia nise (Cramer, 1775)


Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Coliadinae
Identification: Both sexes yellow. Upperside of forewing with narrow black outer edges. Black margin of hindwing uncommon in male, missing in female.
Wing Span: 1 1/8 - 2 inches (2.9 - 5.1 cm).
Life History: Not reported.
Flight: May-August in southern Florida, September-November in southern Texas, all year in tropics.
Caterpillar Hosts: Sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica) in the pea family (Fabaceae).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Brushy woodland edges.
Range: Resident in Argentina north to the Texas Gulf Coast and southern Florida. Occasional stray to central Texas and southeastern Arizona; rarely to southern California, southern Colorado, and Kansas.
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