Ascia monuste
Encyclopedia
The Great Southern White (Ascia monuste) is a species of butterfly
of the Pieridae
family in which the sexes differ in that the female can be either light or dark colored. It is found from the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States
, south through tropical America to Argentina
. Migratory along the south-eastern coast of the United States, with strays to Maryland
, Kansas
and Colorado
.
The wingspan
is 63-86 mm. Adults are on wing all year round in southern Texas, peninsular Florida and along the Gulf Coast.
Ascia monuste is an example of a migrating species
which moves in one direction within its life-span and does not return. It breeds in Florida but sometimes migrates along the coast up to 160 kilometers to breed in more suitable areas.
The larvae feed on Brassicaceae
(including Cakile maritima
, cultivated cabbage and radish and Lepidium
species) and plants in the Capparidaceae family, including nasturtium. Adults feed on nectar from various flowers including saltwort, lantana and verbena. It is a sporadic pest of crucifer vegetables in southern Texas.
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
of the Pieridae
Pieridae
The Pieridae are a large family of butterflies with about 76 genera containing approximately 1,100 species, mostly from tropical Africa and Asia. Most pierid butterflies are white, yellow or orange in coloration, often with black spots...
family in which the sexes differ in that the female can be either light or dark colored. It is found from the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, south through tropical America to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. Migratory along the south-eastern coast of the United States, with strays to Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 63-86 mm. Adults are on wing all year round in southern Texas, peninsular Florida and along the Gulf Coast.
Ascia monuste is an example of a migrating species
Lepidoptera migration
Lepidoptera migration is a biological phenomenon whereby populations of butterflies or moths migrate over long distances to areas where they cannot settle for long periods of time...
which moves in one direction within its life-span and does not return. It breeds in Florida but sometimes migrates along the coast up to 160 kilometers to breed in more suitable areas.
The larvae feed on Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae, a medium sized and economically important family of flowering plants , are informally known as the mustards, mustard flowers, the crucifers or the cabbage family....
(including Cakile maritima
Cakile maritima
Cakile maritima, the European searocket, is a common plant in the mustard family. It is widespread in Europe, especially on coastlines, and it can now be found in other areas of the world where it has been introduced. It is an inhabitant of the west and east coasts of North America, where it has...
, cultivated cabbage and radish and Lepidium
Lepidium
Lepidium is a genus of plants in the mustard family Brassicaceae. It includes about 175 species found worldwide, including cress and pepperweed; additional common names include peppercress, peppergrass, and pepperwort...
species) and plants in the Capparidaceae family, including nasturtium. Adults feed on nectar from various flowers including saltwort, lantana and verbena. It is a sporadic pest of crucifer vegetables in southern Texas.
Subspecies
- Ascia monuste monuste (southern USA to Surinam)
- Ascia monuste phileta
- Ascia monuste virginia (West Indies, St. Vincent)
- Ascia monuste eubotea (Cuba)
- Ascia monuste orseis (Brazil, Argentina)
- Ascia monuste suasa (Peru)
- Ascia monuste automate (Argentina)
- Ascia monuste raza (Baja California Sur)