Falcate Orangetip - Alabama Butterfly Atlas

Butterfly: Wingspan: 1¼ - 1¾ inches (3.2 - 4.4 cm) UPPER SURFACE (dorsal) White. Distinct black forewing spot. Checkered fringe. Only male has orange forewing tips. UNDER SURFACE (ventral) Hindwing heavily marbled with gray-green scales. Forewing obviously falcate (hooked).

ID Tip: Look for falcate (“hooked”) forewing tips.

Egg: Bright orange. Spindle shaped. Laid singly on virtually any part of the host plant, but typically only one egg is laid on each plant.

Caterpillar: Green to blue/green; narrow yellow/orange stripe on back; white lateral stripe. Head gray and white. Slender.

Chrysalis: Looks like a sharp, brown thorn. The overwintering stage.

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Falcate Orangetips are among the earliest spring fliers and punctuate the woodlands with tiny flashes of color. When these butterflies emerge, they retain some of their host plants’ distasteful mustard oils and are at least partially protected from predators as they flicker across the woodland floor.

Falcate Orangetips often nectar from their host plants' flowers. They also frequent small spring-bloomers such as Yellow False Garlic. Males are often seen patrolling for females, flying just above the ground and often repeating the same route. Females search for crucifers (mustard-family members) and typically deposit only one egg per plant. These butterflies are univoltine (flying only one time each year). Larvae must finish their development quickly because their host plants are spring ephemerals and quickly complete their seasonal growth.

Falcate Orangetips range throughout the eastern United States. They are not often found in Alabama's coastal region but may be quite common in northern county woodlands.

A dot on the county map indicates that there is at least one documented record of the species within that county. In some cases, a species may be common throughout the county, in others it may be found in only a specific habitat. The High Count information shows the highest numbers recorded for this species as well as when and where they occurred.

The sightings bar graphs depict the timing of flight(s) within each of three geographic regions. Place your cursor on a bar within the graph to see the number of individuals recorded during that period.

The abundance calendar displays the total number of individuals recorded within each week of the month. Both the graphs and the calendar are on based data collection that began in 2000.

The records analyzed here are only a beginning. As more data is collected, these maps and graphs will paint a more accurate picture of distribution and abundance in Alabama. Submit your sightings to albutterflyatlas@gmail.com.

Sightings in the following counties: Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Cleburne, Colbert, Conecuh, Cullman, Dallas, DeKalb, Escambia, Etowah, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Montgomery, Morgan, Perry, Pickens, Shelby, Sumter, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Washington

Sightings in the past 5 years
Sightings in the past 5 - 10 years
Sightings more than 10 years ago

High count(s):

51 - Pickens - 3/6/2023
50 - Blount - 3/4/2018
49 - Shelby - 3/25/2020

View county names by moving the mouse over a county or view a map with county names

Jan				Feb				Mar				Apr				May				Jun				Jul				Aug				Sep				Oct				Nov				Dec
1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4
						3	76	327	303	378	441	252	179	36	1				1

Woodlands including bottomlands, especially along borders and openings. Trees are almost always present, although these butterflies are not usually found in deeply shaded areas. Not usually seen in open fields or suburban habitats.

Falcate Orangetip (*Anthocharis midea*)

County

© Sara Bright

Smooth Rockcress

Members of the Mustard family (Brassiceae), especially toothworts (Cardamine spp.), are reported throughout the range.

The following have been documented in Alabama:

For more information about these plants, please visit the Alabama Plant Atlas using the links above.

If Falcate Orangetips are in the area, planting toothworts in a woodland garden may entice them to your landscape. Toothwort species can be used as groundcovers and are lovely in woodland gardens or naturalized under hardwood trees. Keep in mind that they die back by summer, so consider planting them among perennials that will fill in the gaps.

Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea) Photos

Click on individual photos to view a larger version that includes photo credits, county, and date.
Photos with comments are indicated by a small, tan dot on the bottom right.