Colias Life History Information

[Michael Gochfeld]

There's an extensive literature on various aspects of Colias biology,
including the sex-limited dimorphism and the use of UV reflectance in
mate choice.  We summarized some of these studies in our New Jersey
butterfly book. 

With regard to your specific questions: 

1) In New Jersey the overwintering stage for both Colias philodice and
C. eurytheme is reported as both larvae and pupae. 

2) We were unable to find evidence that adults hibernate.  Although
adults fly late into the winter in New Jersey (even to Christmas in warm
years), they do not generally come out before mid-April (rarely late
March).  Whether the late March records could have represented adult
overwintering is now anyone's guess. But we have no evidence of that in
central NJ. 

3) Larvae do diapause over winter, but this is not the exclusive
overwintering stage (see #1 above)

4) No evidence of this. 

However, there is no reason to assume that what these butterflies do in
New Jersey predicts what they would do at the other four corners of the
earth. 
Leptraps at aol.com wrote:
> 
> I have been looking for life history information for Colias Philodice and Colias eurytheme. I have most of the books on North American Butterflies, but there is very little life history information other than host plant information, broods, and larva descriptions. Does anyone know of a study of the life histories of both of these Colias? Has anyone on the list reared either of these species and taken them over the winter and then continued the rearing in the spring.
> 
> I have spent most of this season rearing both of these species. I currently have approximately 80 pupae, 150 plus larvae in all instars and several hundred eggs. I have several questions that I would like answered.
> 
> 1.) What stage in the life cycle passes through the winter?
> 2.) Do adults hibernate?
> 3.) Do the larva diapause during the winter?
> 4.) Do the larva diapause within the eggs during the winter and then hatch in the spring?
> 
> All my larvae are in the leaf litter in the bottom of my cages. I reared all of the Colias on potted plants in cages and out side. I currently have them under a roof but exposed to the elements. Normally they pupate under the wood top of the cages. The majority of those that have pupated after early October began to pupate on the stem of the plant near the ground or in the leaf litter.
> 
> We had a frost this past weekend, however, the temperature was 66 degrees on Monday and I had several 5th instar larva that came out of the litter to feed. They returned to the litter before dark and they are back on the plants this morning.
> 
> Just before the cold weather came this weekend, I had several Colias eurytheme emerge. I found them 9 individuals all packed together in the top corner of the cage. When the temperature warmed they took flight only to group again in the same corner of the cage. The corner faces to the south east, evidently to catch the morning sun. Once the temperature warms up and they leave the corner, I will turn to cage and place the corner they have been using to the northwest.
> 
> If anyone has information or experience rearing Colias, please let me know. I could use the help.
> 
> 
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