Banded Yellow Butterflies

Yellow butterflies have great significance in many cultures; some say a yellow butterfly brings guidance and is a sign of hope, while others believe it represents a new life. Whatever you might believe, it is nice to see a pretty yellow butterfly. Most yellow butterflies are in the family Pieridae, which has over 1,000 species. In this next expedition, we are looking at the pierid species Eurema elathea, the Banded Yellow butterfly. Males have delicate blackish bands spanning its yellow forewings, and in both sexes the hindwings are mostly porcelain white, giving it a distinct appearance. However, this species also has slight variations in wing color and pattern depending on where it flies; Banded Yellow butterflies have been found in the Caribbean, southern Central America, and much of South America.

Here at the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity at the Florida Museum of Natural History, there is a great abundance of Eurema elathea. The information that you transcribe adds value to our ongoing research, by enhancing the data sets we use to answer questions about the history and behavior of these butterflies. We value your contributions to the scientific community, and we thank you for devoting your time and effort to help us complete these butterfly projects.

~ Stacey L. Huber, Digitization Coordinator, McGuire Center for Lepidoptera & Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History