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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Pieridae 77a0422 – 4209.2   Colias vitabunda Hovanitz, 1943

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Larva and Host Plants: Host familiy: Fabaceae.  Host genera: Astragalus Hedysarum Medicago Thermopsis.  (Shropshire & Douglas 2025) Similar Species: Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.) Synonymy: vitabunda Hovanitz, 1943 (Colias) - MONA 1983: [NEW] pallidissima Bowman, 1942 (Colias) Taxonomic Notes: Colias vitabunda Hovanitz, 1943, previously treated as a subspecies of 4209 Colias philodice Godart, 1819, is recognized as a full species in Pollock et al. (1998) and Wheat & Watt (2008).

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

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