The Falcate Orangetip is a unique little butterfly. The forewings have a hooked tip giving the butterfly the falcate name but the orange tip can be deceiving because only the males have orange on their wings. The females are completely white with a single black spot. The underside of the hind wing on the Falcate Orange is a beautiful gray-marbled pattern.

 

Male

“Male Orangetip Butterfly” by Phil Mclver, licensed under (CC BY-NC 2.0)

 

Female

“Female Orangetip Butterfly” by Max Davies, licensed under (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

 

Falcate Orangetip Facts

Butterfly Family: Pieridae

Butterfly Subfamily: Pierinae

Wingspan: 1 3/8 – 1 3/4 inches

Habitat: Open, wet woods along waterways, open swamps, occasionally dry woods and ridgetops

 

Falcate Orangetip Host and Nectar Plants

Host Plants:

• Broadleaf Toothwart
• Slender Toothwart
• Cutleaf Toothwart
• Tower Rock Cress
• Lyre-leaved Rock Cress
• Bittercress

Nectar Plants:

• Nectar from various flowers
  • Spring Beauty
  • Violets
  • Bluet
  • Glade Sandwort
• Mustards