Falcate Orangetip Anthocharis midea (Hübner, [1809])    Synonyms: Hodges #4207.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Lepidoptera   >   Family Pieridae   >   Genus Anthocharis   

Status:

The striking and unmistakable Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea) is a delightful early-season butterfly, at home in open woodlands and field habitats. This small butterfly flies in spring, from late April to May (possibly to early June in the western mountains). It may be common at some sites, but colonies can also be local. This species generally flies close to the ground. Males have a distinctive orange patch on the distal forewings, which females lack. Both sexes show a strongly curved tip to the forewing, the origin of the common name (Butterflies of Maryland: A Biological Summary and Checklist by Lynn Davidson & Richard Smith; Kaufman Guide to Butterflies of North America).

Relationships:

The Falcate Orangetip uses plants in the mustard family (Brassicaceae) as larval food plants.

There are 368 records in the project database.

View images at BugGuide

View taxon at iNaturalist

View taxon at NatureServe

Search Google Images

Search MBP Facebook posts (beta | requires login)


[View seasonality details]
GA AL WA FR CL MO HO BA BCHA CE PG AA CV CH SM KE QA CN TA DO WI SO WO 
A Falcate Orangetip nectaring on Field Pansy in Calvert Co., Maryland (4/13/2013). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A male Falcate Orangetip in Howard Co., Maryland (4/22/2014). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

A Falcate Orangetip on Purple Deadnettle in northern Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/20/2013). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A Falcate Orangetip in Allegany Co., Maryland (4/2/2017). Photo by Rick Borchelt. (MBP list)

Falcate Orangetips in Howard Co., Maryland (5/1/2014). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

A male Falcate Orangetip in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/11/2008). Photo by Steve Collins. (MBP list)

A Falcate Orangetip in Charles Co., Maryland (4/14/2018). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A Falcate Orangetip in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/19/2015). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

Mating Falcate Orangetips in Allegany Co., Maryland (4/17/2013). Photo by Annette Allor. (MBP list)

A Falcate Orangetip in Allegany Co., Maryland (4/2/2017). Photo by Rick Borchelt. (MBP list)

A female Falcate Orangetip in Howard Co., Maryland (4/21/2016). Photo by Jeff Culler. (MBP list)

A female Falcate Orangetip in Allegany Co., Maryland (4/19/2008). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A Falcate Orangetip in Allegany Co., Maryland (5/1/2005). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

A female Falcate Orangetip in Kent Co., Maryland (4/26/2014). Photo by Nancy Martin. (MBP list)

Falcate Orangetip in Allegany Co., Maryland (3/29/2020). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Falcate Orangetip in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/10/2021). (c) Sergei Drovetski, all rights reserved. Photo by Sergei Drovetski. (MBP list)

Falcate Orangetip in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/24/2021). (c) Timothy Reichard, all rights reserved. Photo by Timothy Reichard. (MBP list)

Falcate Orangetip in Allegany Co., Maryland (3/29/2020). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Falcate Orangetip in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/10/2021). (c) Sergei Drovetski, all rights reserved. Photo by Sergei Drovetski. (MBP list)

A Falcate Orangetip in Kent Co., Maryland (4/5/2017). Photo by Mike Hudson. (MBP list)

A female Falcate Orangetip ovipositing in Charles Co., Maryland (4/14/2018). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A Falcate Orangetip in Allegany Co., Maryland (4/28/2018). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Falcate Orangetip in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/10/2021). (c) Sergei Drovetski, all rights reserved. Photo by Sergei Drovetski. (MBP list)

Falcate Orangetip in Washington Co., Maryland (4/3/2020). (c) jrcagle, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by jrcagle via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Falcate Orangetip in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/18/2021). (c) Sergei Drovetski, all rights reserved. Photo by Sergei Drovetski. (MBP list)

Falcate Orangetip in Allegany Co., Maryland (4/24/2022). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

A female Falcate Orangetip in Harford Co., Maryland (4/30/2018). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Falcate Orangetip in Worcester Co., Maryland (4/2/2022). (c) danieltayloroc, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by danieltayloroc via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Falcate Orangetip in Allegany Co., Maryland (4/13/2024). (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA). Photo by Judy Gallagher. (MBP list)

Falcate Orangetip in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/23/2022). (c) Emily L. Stanley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Emily Stanley. (MBP list)

A Falcate Orangetip caterpillar in Harford Co., Maryland (5/22/2018). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

A Falcate Orangetip caterpillar hosting upon Cut-leaved Toothwort siliques in Harford Co., Maryland (5/24/2018). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

A Falcate Orangetip caterpillar in Harford Co., Maryland (5/22/2018). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

A Falcate Orangetip egg on Roadside Pennycress in Harford Co., Maryland (4/30/2018). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

A prepupal Falcate Orangetip caterpillar in Harford Co., Maryland (5/28/2018). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

A Falcate Orangetip chrysalis in Harford Co., Maryland (5/29/2018). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Falcate Orangetip in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/24/2023). (c) marctree, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by marctree via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


View All Images

Use of images featured on Maryland Biodiversity Project is only permitted with express permission of the photographer.