Pieridae

Pierids are rather conspicuous white, yellow, or orange butterflies, with around 1000 species worldwide. They primarily feed on plants in the legume and crucifer families, although some odd groups, like our Neophasia menapia, feed on conifers. Some Pierids, especially Colias sulphurs and Pieris whites, have taught us much about species recognition (based on ultraviolet reflectance patterns) and seasonally-induced polymorphism and phenotypic plasticity.

Zerene eurydice

California's State Insect, but seen by very few people in the wild. It is largely restricted to riparian habitat in the Sacramento Valley (now much restricted) and in the Coast Range and Sierran foothills. Its only known host plant, False Indigo (Amorpha), is a rather inconspicuous shrub found with Poison Oak, Willow, etc. near streambanks, often along boulder-strewn tributary streams in side canyons where access is very difficult.