Common emigrant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Common emigrant |
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| Male | |
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| Female | |
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Catopsila crocale |
The Catopsilia pomona, often called the common emigrant or lemon emigrant, is a medium-sized pierid butterfly. You can find this butterfly in Asia, Cambodia, and parts of Australia. It gets its name because it often travels or migrates over long distances. Some scientists used to think Catopsilia crocale and Catopsilia pomona were two different species.
About This Butterfly
This butterfly can look a bit different depending on where it lives. For example, in Australia, some butterflies are pale, while others are darker. These different looks are called morphs. The way these forms develop can depend on things like how much light there is (photoperiod) and the temperature when the butterfly is growing.
Males
Male Common Emigrant butterflies usually have a chalky-white color on their upper side. Sometimes, they have a bright yellow area near the base of their wings. The edges of their forewings, especially near the tip, are often black. This black border can vary in size. The hind wings are usually plain, without many markings.
The underside of the male's wings can be many colors. It might be white with a hint of yellow, greenish-white, or even bright yellow. Sometimes, there are small spots or faint reddish lines on the wings.
Females
Female Common Emigrant butterflies also vary in color, similar to the males. Their wings can be chalky white or have broad yellow areas. The forewings of females always have a black spot, which can be round or square. They also have an irregular black band along the edge of the wing. This band is widest at the tip. Sometimes, there are extra black spots or bands on the hind wings too.
The underside of the female's wings can range from white with a yellowish tint to a deep yellow. The markings on the underside are similar to the males but can be even more varied. The antennae of both males and females are usually red with tiny black dots.
Life Cycle
Like all butterflies, the Common Emigrant goes through several stages in its life.
Egg
The female butterfly lays her eggs on different types of plants. These include various Cassias and other plants like Butea monosperma and Cassia fistula. The eggs are usually laid one by one on the underside of a leaf, near the edge. Each egg is white, shaped like a bottle, and has vertical ridges. The eggs hatch in about 3 to 4 days.
Caterpillar (Larva)
When the egg hatches, a tiny caterpillar emerges. It is about 0.5 centimeters long and yellowish-green. As it grows, it turns a leafy green color. Its head is green and has small black spots. There is a continuous white line along its side, covering its breathing holes (spiracles). Each part of its body has tiny, shiny black bumps. The bumps just above the white line are larger, making it look like there's a black line above the white one. These lines run from the head to the end of the body. The caterpillar of a similar butterfly, Catopsilia pyranthe, has a much wider black line.
Chrysalis (Pupa)
When the caterpillar is ready, it turns into a chrysalis (pupa). It usually attaches itself to a plant close to the ground. The chrysalis hangs by a silken thread and is held in place by a hook-like part called a cremaster. The entire chrysalis is a bright leaf-green color. A yellow line runs from the cremaster all the way to its head, which ends in a snout-like shape. The chrysalis of the similar Catopsilia pyranthe has a shorter snout.
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Egg
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Caterpillar, 3rd instar
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Caterpillar, 4th instar
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Pupa
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Pupa on a Cassia leaf
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