The curious case of the Dogface butterfly

[trehopr1]

One of the most unusual (looking) and striking pierids
found the world over resides right here in eastern
North America; the Dogface butterfly or Southern Dogface
(Zerene cesonia).

To the best of my knowledge this species and a closely
related one (of the same genus) and endemic to California;
are the ONLY such patterned butterflies found anywhere
else in the world.

Here is a picture of a male which I captured a few years
ago in the southernmost reaches of my state (Ill.)



Here in my state the Southern dogface is (at best) a locally
encountered migrant. The species it is said likely does not
survive the winter in Illinois and recolonizes the state from
more southerly reaches each year.

It is a creature of open fields, forest margins, clover/alfalfa 
fields and sandy areas along rivers and lakes. The adult's
hurried flight, with brief stops at flowers before quickly
flying away, is distinctive...

A tough catch (in short) if you get close enough. Various
literature cites false indigo and leadplant as caterpillar 
host plants.

Of, coarse, if you are more like me and haven't
"the foggiest" idea what those plants look like then you
too will have to stay sharp and investigate any pierids
sipping nectar.

Below, is a female which I also captured on another occasion.



I have a friend who lives much closer to the southern
counties of my state than I do; so he has visited it many
more times than I have. Over the years, he has encountered
the dogface butterfly sporadically and has mustered this 
series of wild captures (below).



A triumph to be sure in its own right given the happenstance
occurrence of seeing it.

Here are some (females) in close-up...



And for a little "twist" there is a late season "rosa" form
which has extensive pink shading on the underside of the
wings.



So, there is my brief discussion (for this afternoon)
on this marvelous, striking, and most unusual looking
butterfly in our midsts.

[evra]

It’s always been one of my favorite US butterflies. Again, in Arizona it is one of the most common Pierids. Even the pink form is very common, especially in the fall. Some years you can see hundreds or even thousands in one day in some of the canyons when the rabbitbrush or beggarticks are in bloom. The females are especially variable. I’ve seen some that look almost like a female Z. eurydice, with almost an entirely yellow forewing with just the eyespot.

They feed on Dalea, which grows pretty extensively in the deserts, but they cannot survive the winters. Usually I see the first ones fly north from Mexico in February, then there is a summer flight in June/July, then a big flight in September/October before they get killed by frosts in early November.

[trehopr1]

An interesting report !

Just goes to show you that one man's treasured find (in one locale) may be someone else's "common stuff" elsewhere.

I can say that of the two individuals I encountered and caught their behavior was what attracted my attention; as they seemed "different" than all of the surrounding Colias nectaring at flowers.

[wingedwishes]

I've had this discussion elsewhere but my question is this:

What breed of dog does it most resemble?

[lordpandarus]

poodle?

[wingedwishes]

Poodle or maybe Labradoodle is my guess.

[58chevy]

I think it looks like a cocker spaniel.

[mikeh]

Saw my first one in Salt Lake City, probably the first real stray I ever found. I spotted it at the bottom of a hill I was walking down 50+ yards away and was shocked at how big it looked as I had never seen any sulphurs besides Colias and N. Iole. Luckily it stayed mostly in the same spot as I raced down to it and was able to net it.

[livingplanet3]

Yes - a very distinctive butterfly; usually one of the first I see in the spring.

[kevinkk]

Jul 20, 2021 19:26:19 GMT -8 wingedwishes said:

I've had this discussion elsewhere but my question is this:

What breed of dog does it most resemble?

I think one of those looks like the profile of a sheep-

I like sulphurs as well, and go as much out of the way I can  to catch them, which isn't often, usually by pulling over quickly and hopping
out of the car.