Whites and sulphurs are small to medium-sized butterflies. Their wingspans range from 0.8 to 4.0 inches (2-10.2 cm). There are about 1,000 species worldwide with about 61 species in North America. Most whites and sulphurs are white, yellow, and orange with some black, and some may be various shades of gray green. Their flight is mostly slow and fluttering, but some of the larger species have quicker flights. Both males and females like to feed at flowers, while males also like to puddle on damp ground. Male whites and sulphurs locate females by patrolling. The eggs are spindle shaped and laid singly. Most of the long-slender larvae are green or yellow. The chrysalis is usually triangular or cone headed. It hangs upright supported by a silken loop around the middle. The overwintering varies with species. It may be larva, chrysalis, or adult.
Subfamily Pierinae: whites
Pallid tilewhite, Hesperocharis costaricensis
Mexican dartwhite, Catasticta nimbice
Pine white, Neophasia menapia
Chiricahua white, Neophasia terlootii
Common green-eyed white, Leptophobia aripa
Florida white, Appias drusilla
Becker's white, Pontia beckerii
Spring white, Pontia sisymbrii
Checkered white, Pontia protodice
Western white, Pontia occidentalis
Mustard white, Pieris oleracea
Margined white, Pieris marginalis
Arctic white, Pieris angelika
West Virginia white, Pieris virginiensis
Cabbage white, Pieris rapae
Great southern white, Ascia monuste
Giant white, Ganyra josephina
Howarth's white, Ganyra howarthi
Painted white, Pieriballia viardi
Common melwhite, Melete lycimnia
Crossbarred white, Itaballia demophile
Large marble, Euchloe ausonides
Green marble, Euchloe naina
Northern marble, Euchloe creusa
Sonoran marble, Euchloe guaymasensis
Pearly marble, Euchloe hyantis
California pearly marble, Euchloe hyantis hyantis
Desert pearly marble, Euchloe hyantis lotta
Olympia marble, Euchloe olympia
Desert orangetip, Anthocharis cethura
Pima orangetip, Anthocharis cethura pima
Sara orangetip, Anthocharis sara
Pacific Sara orangetip, Anthocharis sara sara
Stella Sara orangetip, Anthocharis sara stella
Falcate orangetip, Anthocharis midea
Gray marble, Anthocharis lanceolata
Subfamily Coliadinae: sulphurs
Statira sulphur, Aphrissa statira
Clouded sulphur, Colias philodice
Orange sulphur, Colias eurytheme
Western sulphur, Colias occidentalis
Colias occidentalis chrysomelas
Colias occidentalis pseudochristina
Christina's sulphur, Colias christina
Queen Alexandra's sulphur, Colias alexandra
Harford's Queen Alexandra's sulphur, Colias alexandra harfordii
Colias alexandra krauthii
Mead's sulphur, Colias meadii
Coppermine sulphur, Colias johanseni
Canadian sulphur, Colias canadensis
Hecla sulphur, Colias hecla
Booth's sulphur, Colias tyche
Labrador sulphur, Colias nastes
Colias nastes thula
Scudder's sulphur, Colias scudderi
Giant sulphur, Colias gigantea
Sierra sulphur, Colias behrii
Pelidne sulphur, Colias pelidne
Pink-edged sulphur, Colias interior
Palaeno sulphur, Colias palaeno
California dogface, Zerene eurydice
Southern dogface, Zerene cesonia
White angled-sulphur, Anteos clorinde
Yellow angled-sulphur, Anteos maerula
Cloudless sulphur, Phoebis sennae
Orange-barred sulphur, Phoebis philea
Large orange sulphur, Phoebis agarithe
Tailed sulphur, Phoebis neocypris
Orbed sulphur, Phoebis orbis
Lyside sulphur, Kricogonia lyside
Barred yellow, Eurema daira
Ghost yellow, Eurema albula
Boisduval's yellow, Eurema boisduvaliana
Mexican yellow, Eurema mexicana
Salome yellow, Eurema salome
Tailed orange, Eurema proterpia
Little yellow, Eurema lisa
Mimosa yellow, Eurema nise
Shy yellow, Eurema messalina
Dina yellow, Eurema dina
Sleepy orange, Eurema nicippe
Dainty sulphur, Nathalis iole
Subfamily Dismorphiinae: mimic-whites
Costa-spotted mimic-white, Enantia albania
References
Jim P. Brock, Kenn Kaufman (2003). Butterflies of North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. .