About Ascia monuste (Linnaeus, 1764)
Ascia is a monotypic genus of butterflies in the family Pieridae, represented by a single species: Ascia monuste, which is commonly known as the great southern white. Sexual dimorphism occurs in this species, where females can display either light or dark coloration. This species is distributed from the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, south through to Argentina. It is migratory along the southeastern coast of the United States, with stray individuals reaching Maryland, Kansas, and Colorado. Mature larvae are approximately one and a quarter inches long. Larvae have distinct body segments, each containing four to six subsegments. They have a purplish-green base color, with two longitudinal greenish-yellow stripes running along each side and along the dorsal side. Adult individuals have a wingspan between 63 and 86 mm. Adults are active year-round on the wing in southern Texas, peninsular Florida, and along the Gulf Coast. Ascia monuste is a migratory species that travels in a single direction over the course of its lifespan and does not return to its starting location. It breeds in Florida, but will sometimes migrate up to 160 km along the coast to reach more suitable breeding areas.
