Great Southern White

The Great Southern White (Ascia monuste) butterfly is one of the most common white butterflies signed in Florida. Especially in winter, this species can be seen on roadsides, medians, disturbed areas, open fields and even in your own backyard.

Found along the Gulf Coast, this butterfly can be found south to Argentina and may stray north as far as Kansas or Colorado. Within Florida, these butterflies will migrate north as temperatures allow, moving up the Atlantic coast to look for new food sources. In mild weather they may be found as far north as Maryland.

The larvae of the Great Southern White host on Brassicaceae, and can be found on cruciferous vegetables such as collard greens, mustard greens, cabbage, radish and other related species. They can also be found on garden Nasturtium and Peppergrass (Lepidium virginicum), a common weed in disturbed sites, derelict lots and roadsides.

Adult butterflies can be found on all sorts of garden flowers including lantana, verbena, salvia, porterweed and other small flowered species.

This lovely species is often mistaken for a moth due to their lack of bright colors.

Males are bright white with a black tip on the apex of their forewings. The underside of the hindwing may appear as a pale buttery yellow. Females are more grey in color on both the top and undersides of their wings. Both sexes have antenna tipped in a pale turquoise blue. 












What’s in a name?The genus name Ascia derives from the Latin word for adze or ax, possibly related to the shape of the butterfly white at rest. The origin of the specie monuste is currently unknown.