Checkered Whites in plenty

Checkered White (Pontia protodice) butterflies are in abundance throughout the summer in Tampa, mostly because they feed upon plants in the mustard (Brassicaceae) and caper (Capparidaceae) families.

Many plants in these families thrive in the dry and often cut medians of city roads and highways. Also, adults like to feed upon the small flowers of hedge mustards, composites, and alfalfa that grow in the same disturbed areas.

In a recent butterfly count in Tampa, a count volunteer told me that he had observed 103 checkered whites in just a few hours and that they were the most populous butterfly that he had observed the entire day. This is one case where a butterfly thrives from the interference of humans creating endless miles of habitat by accident. Next time you take a long summer drive, watch the flowers and grass along the roadways for these little white beauties.