Eurema messalina

Eurema messalina, the shy yellow, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is native to the West Indies, but a very rare stray may be found in southern Florida. The habitat consists of shady, brushy areas.[2]

Shy yellow
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Pieridae
Genus:
Eurema
Species:
E. messalina
Binomial name
Eurema messalina
(Fabricius, 1787)[1]
Synonyms
  • Papilio messalina Fabricius, 1787
  • Pyrisitia messalina
  • Terias bulaea Boisduval, 1836
  • Terias gnathene Boisduval, [1836]
  • Terias iradia Poey, [1852]
  • Terias blakei Maynard, 1891

The wingspan is 26–38 mm (1.0–1.5 in). Both sexes are creamy white. Males have black borders on the outer edges of both wings and females have a black apex. Males also have a pink bar on the underside of the forewing that fades after death. Adults are on wing from May to August and in February. Adults feed on flower nectar.[2]

The larvae feed on Desmodium and Cassia species.[2]

References
  1. Eurema, Site of Markku Savela
  2. Butterflies and Moths of North America


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