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We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America online and free. If everyone who uses this resource makes a donation, we could cover our ongoing costs, develop new features, upgrade the system, and maybe even remove those pesky ads. Please make a one-time or recurring donation to show your support for this valuable source of information. Thank you!
Southwestern Orangetip
Anthocharis thoosa (Scudder, 1878)
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Pierinae
Identification: Male white, female either white or yellowish, especially on hindwing. Most similar to Sara Orangetip, but black bar on inner edge of orange tip very wide, and marbling nearly black.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 ½ inches (2.5-3.7 cm).
Life History: Plants in the mustard (Brassicaceae) family including tansy-mustard (Descurainia), hedge mustard (Sisymbrium) and rock cresses (Arabis) species.
Flight: Late February through April.
Caterpillar Hosts:
Adult Food: Flower nectar, including that of host mustards.
Habitat: Mainly juniper or pinyon-juniper woodland. Also desert hills.
Range: Arid intermountain West from northern Nevada, Utah, and western Colorado south to western Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and southeastern California.
Conservation: Conserve restricted populations.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Preserve host plant and flyway habitats.
Comments: NULL
Pollinator Week was June 20-26, 2022!
Butterflies and moths are accidental pollinators of many flowering plants. While most species do not have special structures to carry pollen, they do brush against pollen and transfer it to other flowers.
Did you know? The Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas) flies close to the ground and uses its short proboscis to probe flowers of wild strawberry, white sweet clover, and other low-lying plants.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 208 verified sightings

Observation date: Apr 21, 2022
Submitted by: Rozelle Wright
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 22, 2022

Observation date: Apr 16, 2022
Submitted by: Arley
Region: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 17, 2022

Observation date: Apr 14, 2022
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 16, 2022

Observation date: Apr 06, 2022
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 08, 2022

Observation date: Apr 05, 2022
Submitted by: tjay13
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 08, 2022

Observation date: Apr 04, 2022
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 08, 2022

Observation date: Apr 02, 2022
Submitted by: Joshua C
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 04, 2022

Observation date: Mar 31, 2022
Submitted by: tjay13
Region: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 01, 2022

Observation date: Mar 26, 2022
Submitted by: Joshua C
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 27, 2022

Observation date: Mar 20, 2022
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 21, 2022

Observation date: Mar 15, 2022
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 19, 2022

Observation date: Mar 15, 2022
Submitted by: Gordon Berman
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 17, 2022

Observation date: Mar 12, 2022
Submitted by: kenstin
Region: Sierra County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 14, 2022

Observation date: Mar 05, 2022
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 06, 2022

Observation date: Apr 02, 2017
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 22, 2021

Observation date: May 15, 2021
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 14, 2021

Observation date: May 02, 2021
Submitted by: Aner
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 09, 2021

Observation date: Mar 29, 2021
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 11, 2021

Observation date: Mar 18, 2021
Submitted by: 1tom2go
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 24, 2021

Observation date: Mar 20, 2021
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 24, 2021

Observation date: Mar 01, 2021
Submitted by: Honu Green
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Mar 11, 2021

Observation date: Jan 15, 2015
Submitted by: cjbruchman
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Aug 29, 2020

Observation date: Apr 16, 2005
Submitted by: mouser
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 02, 2020

Observation date: May 01, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 06, 2020
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