ANIMAL: Great Southern White Ascia monuste Type of Animal: Pierid Butterfly Habitat: Dunes, beaches, marshes, coastal plains, offshore islands, sandy flats, disturbed areas, roadsides, open fields, gardens, open areas, coastal uplands Location(s): Ranges from US through Central America & Caribbean all the way to Chile & Argentina Appearance: Males whitish w/ black forewing apex, females white or smoky gray w/ black forewing cell spot, caterpillars mottled gray to greenish w/ 5 orange/yellow longitudinal bands & many small hairy black spots, dry season females look more similar to males, wet season females darker, blue antennal clubs on both sexes Food/Diet: Adults feed on saltwort, lantana, verbena, & basil flowers (mainly for nectar). Caterpillars eat crucifer plants (cabbage plants/radish plants/mustard plants/etc.), spider flower, & nasturtium as well as conspecific eggs. Status in Wild: Stable Conservation: Breeding in butterfly gardens, zoos, aquariums, & museums Lifestyle: Groups of 20-2,000 butterflies Additional Info: Called: Male Female Young: Caterpillar Group: Flutter Gestation: 4-7 days Life Span: 1-2 months Body Length/Wingspan: Male: 2.5 in Female: 3.375 in Caterpillar: 1 in Females lay eggs singly or in clusters on upper surfaces of host plant leaves. Eggs hatch into caterpillars after 4-7 days. Caterpillar stage lasts 2-4 weeks-caterpillars go through 5 instars (development stages) before chrysalis (pupal) stage, which lasts another 1-2 weeks. After this stage, they transform into butterflies, living for 3-10 days. Males die soon after mating & females die after laying eggs. These butterflies migratory in parts of their range-these migrations last 2 days max. Eggs are yellow & spindle-shaped. Only species in genus Ascia. Caterpillars more competitive w/ each other after 1st 2 instars. Multiple females sometimes lay eggs on same surface. These butterflies can be seen year round in parts of range, since multiple generations produced each year. Fun Fact(s): Many host plants eaten by caterpillars contain chemicals (glycosides) making larvae less palatable. Caterpillars can be pests since many of their favorite foods are in the family Brassicaceae/Cruciferae. This family includes cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, mustard plants, kale, & radish plants-all popular crops.
