Imperiled Butterflies: Florida White

About 150 butterfly species are found throughout Florida. 15 of those species are found only in extreme southern Florida and the Florida Keys. Continued expansion of urban development and widespread use of pesticides used to control mosquito populations have put many of these species in jeopardy.

This is part five of a multi-part series covering Florida’s imperiled butterflies.

Florida White

Florida White (Appias drusilla) is a gorgeous white butterfly with bright pale blue tips on each antenna. This species hosts on capers such as Spider-flower (Cleome spp.) and Clammyweed (Polanisia spp.) and prefers to fly in shady hardwood hammocks. Now mostly found in the Florida Keys and coastal areas of Miami-Dade County and Monroe County, this species may occasionally stray to the Tampa Bay or Gainesville areas.

The Florida population of this species has a conservation status of S2 meaning that it is imperiled throughout the state of Florida. Although secure or even abundant in other parts of its range, this species is dwindling in Florida and there may be less that 300 adults in the wild at any given time. Populations of this species fluctuate widely.

The Florida White may be helped by the preservation of hardwood hammocks and the avoidance of mosquito fogging near locations of known populations of this butterfly.

For some photos of this butterfly species, check out Greg Lasley’s Nature Photography.