Falcate Orangetip

Present throughout most of the Eastern United States.

WSU Vancouver

Geography

Range Map

Falcate orangetip (Anthocharis midea) is native to most states in the Eastern United States.

It is likely extirpated (red regions) from Nebraska, Wisconsin, and most of Illinois.

Study Area

Our research focuses on populations in Clermont County, Ohio.

Our data comes from the  Ohio Lepidopterists  which surveys butterfly communities at multiple sites each year.

Natural History

Species interactions

Host Plant

Falcate orangetips eat plants in the mustard family (Brassicaceae) including rock cress (Arabis spp.) and winter cress (Barbarea spp.).

Nectar Plants

They are nectar generalists feeding on mustards and other nearby flowers.

Habitat

Falcate orangetips are found in open wet woods, but are sometimes found in other types of woodlands or ridges.

Falcate orangetip and habitat

Population Dynamics

  • Large areas of the Midwest range may have been extirpated.
  • The species is fairly contiguous compared to other at-risk butterflies, with few populations separated from any other by more than 30 miles.
  • This butterfly is non-migratory, but males spend their days patrolling for females. More study into the dispersal and movement of this species is needed.

Life Cycle

Adults

Adults fly in April and May in Ohio. Males patrol for females and may be territorial.

Eggs

Females lay eggs singly on a plant. They are careful not to lay eggs on a plant that already has eggs.

Caterpillars

Caterpillars eat fruits, flowers and flower buds. They are cannibalistic towards smaller caterpillars.

Chrysalis

Falcate orangetips overwinter as chrysalises.

Conservation

Listing Status

The falcate orangetip is a  Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Ohio . The species also may be extirpated from the majority of up to six states on the periphery of the range.

Recovery Efforts

Butterfly Monitoring

In Ohio, cooperative efforts exist between the   Metro Parks   system and   Ohio Lepidopterists  . Butterfly transects have been established and monitored since 2004 in cooperation with a statewide butterfly monitoring program. This program is run by the   Ohio Division of Wildlife   and the  Cleveland Museum of Natural History  .

Although these programs do not target falcate orangetip in particular, habitat is managed to benefit the community as a whole.  Ohio's wetland program   is a state conservation effort that may also benefit this butterfly. The program protects, improves and restores wetlands in Ohio.

Population Trends

We had data for two sites (pictured below), both appear to be advancing the median date, but one site was declining and the other is not changing in activity index.

Example activity trends through time each year for falcate orangetip.

Credits

Photos: Licensed through Creative Commons and through permission from photographers. Attributions attached to each image.

References:

Lotts, Kelly and Thomas Naberhaus, coordinators. 2021. Butterflies and Moths of North America.  http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/  (Version Feb 01 2022).

James A. Scott 1986. The Butterflies of North America. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California.  ISBN   0-8047-2013-4 

Created by: Kaitlyn Glover, Kelsey C. King, Hannah Machiorlete, Isabel Rojas, Collin Edwards and Cheryl B. Schultz.

Washington State University Vancouver

This research was funded by the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program award RC-2700

SERDP working group: Tufts University, Montana State University, and University of Georgia Athens.

Example activity trends through time each year for falcate orangetip.