Southern Dogface
Zerene cesonia (Stoll, 1790)
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Coliadinae
Identification: Upperside forewings of both sexes have yellow "dog's head" surrounded by black. "Eye" does not touch black border. Female similar, with duller, more diffuse black areas and 2 seasonal forms: underside hindwing of wet season "summer" form is yellow; that of dry season "winter" form is mottled with black and pink.
Wing Span: 2 1/8 - 3 inches (5.4 - 7.6 cm).
Life History: Males patrol open areas for females. Eggs are laid on the undersides of terminal leaves of host plants. Adults overwinter in reproductive arrest.
Flight: Three flights in the southern states from May-June, July-August, and September-April. Northern colonists have one generation per year, or do not reproduce at all.
Caterpillar Hosts: Small-leaved plants in the pea family (Fabaceae) including alfalfa (Medicago sativa); prairie clovers, indigo (Dalea), and clover (Trifolium) species.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including alfalfa, coreopsis, houstonia, and verbena.
Habitat: Dry, open areas such as short-grass prairie hills, scrub oak groves, open woodland, washes, road edges.
Range: Resident in South America north to southern Texas and peninsular Florida. Stray or temporary resident from central California northeast through the Great Lakes area and all the eastern states.
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.
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 97 - 120 of 1447 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 30, 2022
Submitted by: Reneerob17
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 01, 2022
Observation date: Aug 24, 2022
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Yavapai County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Aug 31, 2022
Observation date: Jun 17, 2022
Submitted by: D Grimes
Region: Citrus County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 10, 2022
Observation date: Jul 14, 1974
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Reno County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 02, 2022
Observation date: Jul 27, 2022
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 31, 2022
Observation date: Jul 27, 2022
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 31, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2022
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 13, 2022
Observation date: Jun 30, 2022
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 04, 2022
Observation date: Apr 14, 2022
Submitted by: AEH
Region: Fairfax County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 24, 2022
Observation date: Dec 29, 2021
Submitted by: CaraLundquist
Region: Denton County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 31, 2022
Observation date: May 01, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 18, 2022
Observation date: Apr 14, 2022
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 16, 2022
Observation date: Apr 08, 2022
Submitted by: robtluke@aol.com
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 11, 2022
Observation date: Mar 01, 2022
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 08, 2022
Observation date: Mar 26, 2022
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 28, 2022
Observation date: Mar 02, 2022
Submitted by: Gordon Berman
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 04, 2022
Observation date: Feb 14, 2022
Submitted by: Rmclaughlin
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Feb 15, 2022
Observation date: Jan 16, 2022
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Feb 13, 2022
Observation date: Feb 10, 2022
Submitted by: Rmclaughlin
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Feb 11, 2022
Observation date: Sep 23, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 28, 2022
Observation date: Oct 16, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 28, 2022
Observation date: Oct 13, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 26, 2022
Observation date: Oct 02, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 26, 2022
Observation date: Sep 26, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 26, 2022
- ‹ previous
- 5 of 61
- next ›