Diet

• The caterpillars feed primarily on mistletoes and other plants in the families Loranthaceae and Santalaceae.

• Adults visit flowers for nectar and may also obtain moisture and minerals from damp ground.

Range

• Melete lycimnia has a broad Neotropical distribution extending from Mexico through Central America and the Caribbean into South America.

• It occurs in tropical Mexico, including Guerrero, and is found in the Zihua area. Mexican specimens and populations are also known from other parts of the country.

• It is primarily a butterfly of warm, humid tropical environments.

Habitat

• The Common Melwhite occurs in tropical forest, forest edges, secondary woodland and other areas where its mistletoe host plants grow.

• It can be encountered along forest trails, clearings and openings in woodland, particularly where flowering plants provide nectar.

• In Mexico it occurs from lowland areas into foothill habitats.

Description

• The Common Melwhite is a medium-sized pierid with a wingspan of approximately 52–60 mm.

• The wings are predominantly white to pale yellow, with dark brown to black borders and markings that vary considerably among subspecies.

• The forewing has a dark apical area and several translucent or pale markings. The hindwing generally has a yellowish basal area and a darker outer margin.

• Females tend to be more strongly yellowish than males, although the degree of yellow coloration varies among geographic forms.

• The underside is generally paler and more subdued than the upper surface, providing some camouflage when the butterfly rests with its wings closed.