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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Pieridae 77a0424 – 4209   Colias philodice Godart, 1819

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Larva and Host Plants: Host familiy: Fabaceae.  Host genera: Acmispon[=Lotus] Astragalus Baptisia Caragana Cytisus Hedysarum Hosackia Lathyrus Lotus Lupinus Medicago Melilotus Pisum Robinia Thermopsis Trifolium Vicia.  Notes: other legumes (Wagner 2005); legumes (Nystrom & Ochoa 2006).  (Shropshire & Douglas 2025) Similar Species: Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.) Synonymy: philodice Godart, 1819 (Colias) - MONA 1983: 4209 alba Chermock, 1927 (Colias) alba Röber, 1909 (Colias) alba Ehrmann, 1890 (Colias) alba Pilate, 1882 (Colias) albina Röber, 1909 (Colias) alba Strecker, 1878 (Colias) albida Chermock, 1928 (Colias) albinic Edwards, [1885] (Colias) albinic Skinner, 1898 (Colias) anthyale (Hübner, 1823) (Zerene) dorippe Godart, 1819 (Colias) ehrmanni Chermock, 1927 (Colias) hybrida Strecker, 1878 (Colias) inversata Nakahara, 1926 (Colias) luteitincta Wolcott, 1893 (Colias) maria Edwards, 1885 (Colias) melanic Edwards, [1885] (Colias) melanic Skinner, 1898 (Colias) minor Chermock, 1927 (Colias) miscidice (Scudder, 1889) (Eurymus) nig Strecker, 1878 (Colias) vernalis Scott, 1986 (Colias) nigridice (Scudder, 1889) (Eurymus) nigrina Strecker, 1900 (Colias) nigrofasciata Reiff, 1917 (Colias) pallidice (Scudder, 1889) (Eurymus) plicaduta Nakahara, 1926 (Colias) reducta Dufrane, 1947 (Colias) rothkei Reiff, 1917 (Colias) santes Fitch, 1854 (Colias) serrata (Chermock, 1929) (Eurymus) suffusa Cockerell, 1889 (Colias) tegea Sievers, 1859 (Colias) virida Strecker, 1878 (Colias)

References (Caution: DNA barcoding at BOLD provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.)

Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Identifications often erroneous; DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; many specimens not sequenced. Shropshire, K.J. & D.W. Tallamy, 2025. Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico: an annotated list containing geographic ranges and host-plant records. ZooKeys, 1261: 101-113; Suppl. 1. (PDF or read online) Species Page at BugGuide.Net Species Page at iNaturalist Species Page at the Butterflies of America

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