California dogface butterfly

Taxobox
name = California dogface butterfly
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Lepidoptera
familia = Pieridae
subfamilia = Coliadinae
tribus = Coliadini
genus = "Zerene"
species = "Z. eurydice"
binomial = "Zerene eurydice"
binomial_authority = (Boisduval, 1855)
synonyms ="Colias eurydice" Boisduval, 1855

The California dogface butterfly ("Zerene eurydice", sometimes placed in the related genus "Colias") has been the state insect of the U.S. state of California since 1972. Its range is limited to that state. California was the first state to choose a state insect -- and thus, to choose a butterfly -- though most of the other states have now followed, and many even have both a state insect and state butterfly.

The name comes from a wing pattern resembling a dog's face (some think it looks like a poodle) which is found on the male of the species. Its wings are an iridescent bluish-black, orange and sulfur-yellow in color. The female has a small black dot on each of its yellow forewings. The typical forewing length is between 22 to 31 mm.See [http://www.library.ca.gov/history/images/butterfly.jpgpicture] ( [http://www.library.ca.gov/history/symbols.html#Heading12 main page] ) -- unfortunately lacking the dog-pattern.

Larvae feed on False Indigo (species name: Amorpha californica) and adults feed on flower nectar. They are said to be especially fond of purple flowers.

They are hard to get close to, are hard to catch unless nectaring at flowers, and are hard to get a photograph of with their wings open because they fly very fast. In the Santa Ana Mountains in Southern California, adult Dogface butterflies can often be seen nectaring at roadside thistles.