Diet

• Caterpillars: Feed primarily on legumes (Fabaceae.

• Adults: Feed on nectar from a variety of flowering plants, particularly asters, goldenrods, and other composite flowers.

Range

• The Little Yellow occurs from Costa Rica north through Mexico and the Caribbean into the southern United States. It is widespread in the warmer portions of its range and can occur considerably farther north under favorable conditions.

• Guerrero is within its range, and it can be found in suitable open habitats along the Pacific lowlands. It is occasionally sighted in the Zihua area, particularly around disturbed ground, fields, and roadsides where its legume host plants occur.

Habitat

• Prefers dry, sunny, open environments, including fields, roadsides, sandy areas, abandoned agricultural land, scrub, and open woodland.

• It is particularly characteristic of disturbed or semi-disturbed habitats where low-growing legumes are abundant.

Description

• A small sulphur with a wingspan of approximately 32–44 mm.

• The upper surface is bright yellow, with a conspicuous black apex on the forewing and a black outer margin on the hindwing.

• Males generally have stronger and more extensive dark markings. Females are more variable and can occasionally be nearly white, with the dark borders reduced.

• Both sexes have a small dark spot in the forewing cell. The underside is yellow to yellow-green, with scattered darker markings and a characteristic reddish or rusty spot near the outer portion of the hindwing.

• Its small size and relatively simple yellow-and-black pattern help distinguish it from the larger sulphurs with which it may occur.