Summary ³

The Fairy Yellow, Barred Yellow or Barred Sulphur (Eurema daira) is sexually dimorphic. The male has a black bar along the trailing edge of the forewing (Fig. 2), which is absent in the female (Fig. 3).

Description ⁴

Males and females differ; plus 2 seasonal forms. Upperside of male forewing yellow with black bar along inner edge and a large black area at apex. Female varies from yellow to white; forewing with gray-black on apex and black patch on outer edge of hind wing. Summer (wet season) form is smaller with more extensive black areas. Underside hind wing of summer form is satiny white; that of winter form is brick red or tan with two small black spots in cell. In southern Florida, some individuals have white hind wings.

Larval Description ⁴

Abdomen with annules; short hairy giving it a fuzzy appearance; pale green; lateral stripe white with dark ventral border. Abdomen darker green below lateral stripe.

Larval host plants ⁴

Pencil flower (Stylosanthes biflora), joint vetches (Aeschynomene species), and other plants in the pea family (Fabaceae).

GTM Occurrence ⁴

The Barred Yellow is considered uncommon at the GTM. It is most frequently observed in the open habitat of Transect A. It also occurs along the Glasswort Loop (Transect C) and the Red Bay Walk (Transect D). Specimens have been seen most commonly in the fall and early winter from September to December and in June and July. There have been 11 specimens observed as of December 28, 2015.

Distribution ³

Barred Yellow can be found from Argentina north to the southern United States. Strays can be found up to southern Arizona, South Dakota, southern Texas and even Washington D. C.

Habitat ⁵

Comments: Dry disturbed sites, waysides, shores, scrub. Hosts are Fabaceae, incl. Aeschymomene viscidula, Stylosanthes biflora. Not in shaded woods but sometimes at their edges.

Nature serve conservation status ⁶

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Reasons: Perhaps the most abundant New World butterfly. Common in weedy situations throughout Neotropics.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) pondhawk, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://www.flickr.com/photos/38686613@N08/4731324193
2. (c) GTMResearchReserve, all rights reserved, uploaded by GTMResearchReserve
3. Adapted by GTMResearchReserve from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurema_daira
4. (c) GTMResearchReserve, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
5. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28795453
6. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28795442

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• BugGuide
• Butterflies and Moths of North America
• CUIC Insect Images
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• Moth Photographers Group
• Moths of North Carolina
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• Pacific Northwest Moths

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