Ghost Yellow - Hodges#4247.1
Eurema albula
This record describes Eurema albula (species). Recorded family: Pieridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Small with rounded wings. Color white above with narrow near black border along outer margin of forewing, and also on hind wing in males. Underside usually white, but may be slightly yellowish (particularly at base of wings); otherwise much like that of E. daira and equally variable (from plain white to strongly patterned). Could be confused with rare white E. daira that lack the dark bar along the inner margin of the front wing, except with much narrower dark borders than in that species. Can be confused with white forms of Pyrisitia species, but both P. lisa & P. nise normally have the outer margin of the front wings less rounded, and the dark border on the upper front wings is broader across the apex of the wing. Both Pyrisitia species usually have at least a trace of a dark spot at the end of the discal cell on the lower front wings, and often on the upper side, especially in P. lisa (absent on E. albula ). On P. lisa there are normally two small black dots at the base of the lower hind wing (occasionally faint or one missing), lacking on the other two species. Cuban Pyrisitia messalina is sometimes similar, and could turn up in south Florida, but it should never be found together with E. albula in the U.S. Usually the pattern is ditinctive, but in lighter individuals it may look similar to other species. It normally has a dark spot near the apex of the under side of the front wings that is lacking or insignificant in similar white species in our area. stray to south Texas in 1993 (Chuah & Cushing 1995)
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Pieridae (Whites, Sulphurs, Yellows)
- Subfamily
- Coliadinae
- Genus
- Eurema
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
s. TX (as a 1x stray) to C. Amer. (BOA, MPG)
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Eurema albula (Cramer, 1775)
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Eurema albula. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Ghost Yellow - Hodges#4247.1 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by David J. Ferguson; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Mike Quinn , James Bailey
Frequently Asked Questions About Ghost Yellow - Hodges#4247.1
What is Ghost Yellow - Hodges#4247.1?
Ghost Yellow - Hodges#4247.1 (Eurema albula) is a species in the family Pieridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Ghost Yellow - Hodges#4247.1?
Small with rounded wings. Color white above with narrow near black border along outer margin of forewing, and also on hind wing in males. Underside usually white, but may be slightly yellowish (particularly at base of wings); otherwise much like that of E. daira and equally variable (from plain white to strongly patterned). Could be confused with rare white E. daira that lack the dark bar along the inner margin of the front wing, except with much narrower dark borders than in that species. Can be confused with white forms of Pyrisitia species, but both P. lisa & P. nise normally have the outer margin of the front wings less rounded, and the dark border on the upper front wings is broader across the apex of the wing. Both Pyrisitia species usually have at least a trace of a dark spot at the end of the discal cell on the lower front wings, and often on the upper side, especially in P. lisa (absent on E. albula ). On P. lisa there are normally two small black dots at the base of the lower hind wing (occasionally faint or one missing), lacking on the other two species. Cuban Pyrisitia messalina is sometimes similar, and could turn up in south Florida, but it should never be found together with E. albula in the U.S. Usually the pattern is ditinctive, but in lighter individuals it may look similar to other species. It normally has a dark spot near the apex of the under side of the front wings that is lacking or insignificant in similar white species in our area.
Where is Ghost Yellow - Hodges#4247.1 found?
Range: s. TX (as a 1x stray) to C. Amer. (BOA, MPG)