Alfalfa or Orange Sulfur Butterfly, Colias eurytheme

The Alfalfa Butterfly and the California Dog-face look very similar as they are in the same family. They can be distinguished from one another by the shape of their wings. The Alfalfa has a rounded fore wing, where as the California Dog-face has a fore wing that comes to a protruding little point.

Alfalfa Butterfly on a Lessingia - grid24_12
Picture of an Orange Sulfur Butterfly on a California Aster in the garden.
Alfalfa Butterfly, Colias eurytheme - grid24_12
Picture of an Alfalfa Butterfly, Colias eurytheme, with wings open
Alfalfa Butterfly. - grid24_12
Picture of an Alfalfa Butterfly on a milkweed plant in the garden.

The Larva of the Alfalfa Butterfly feeds on plants in the Pea family (Leguminase). Some of their favorites are deerweed, clover, vetch, loco weed. Of course they are named for their fondness of the crop plant Alfalfa, which is also in this family.

"You have a photograph of the butterfly Colias eurytheme in flight on the web. I would like your permission to reproduce it in the book I am writing entitled "Biosynthess in Insects", to be published by the Royal Society of Chemistry in England. It is of interest to the subject because this species makes pterin pigments (chemochromes) and also uses schemochromes to produce its colour. If permitted, your name would appear clearly associated with the picture and there would be an acknowledgment of your help".
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Edited on Feb 25, 2013. Authors:
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