Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Suborder: Ditrysia
Superfamily: Papilionoidea
Family: Pieridae (Duponchel, 1835)
Subfamily: Coliadinae
Genus: Colias
Species: C. cesonia
The Southern Dogface, Colias cesonia, is a American butterfly in the family Pieridae, subfamily Coliadinae (sometimes it is placed in the related genus Zerene instead of Colias).
The upper side of the pointed fore wings have a dogface pattern. The wings are mainly yellow with black borders. The under side of the wings is mostly yellow with a black eyespot on the fore wing and two white spots on the hind wing.
This butterfly can be found in short-grass prairie hills, open woodlands, and near road edges. Both male and female Southern Dogfaces may be seen feeding at flowers such as Alfalfa, Coreopsis sp., Houstonia sp., and Verbena sp.. Males are also fond of puddling. Its host plants include Lead Plant Amorpha canescens, False Indigo Amorpha fruticosa, Soy Bean Glycine max, Alfalfa Medicago sativa, Black Dalea Dalea frutescens, Purple Prairie Clover Dalea purpurea, and clover Trifolium sp.. Males patrol areas for females. The male is the active flight partner. The green-white eggs are laid on the underside of the host plant leaves. The larva is green with a white stripe running down each side of its body. The green chrysalis hangs up right with a silken girdle around itself.
