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Species Details
Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum Read more about this collection »
Common NamePink-edged Sulphur
SeasonalityOne flight annually, peaking in early July to early August.
IdentificationCan be confused with small specimens of the Giant Sulphur (C. gigantea), but interior has a smaller underside discal spot, and the overall shape of the forewings is more rounded than pointy. In the mountains where the Pink-edged occurs together with the Pelidne, the pink wing fringe of interior is more pronounced, and the under- and upper side is not strongly suffused with black scales as in Pelidne.
Scientific Name
Colias interior
Common Name
Pink-edged Sulphur
Habitat
Open woodlands (particularly pine) with a blueberry understory.
Seasonality
One flight annually, peaking in early July to early August.
Identification
Can be confused with small specimens of the Giant Sulphur (C. gigantea), but interior has a smaller underside discal spot, and the overall shape of the forewings is more rounded than pointy. In the mountains where the…
Can be confused with small specimens of the Giant Sulphur (C. gigantea), but interior has a smaller underside discal spot, and the overall shape of the forewings is more rounded than pointy. In the mountains where the Pink-edged occurs together with the Pelidne, the pink wing fringe of interior is more pronounced, and the under- and upper side is not strongly suffused with black scales as in Pelidne.
Life History
Immature stages of the western populations are not known, but in the east, eggs turn orange (greenish yellow) soon after being laid. Mature larvae are dark yellowish-green with a dark dorsal stripe and a white and red…
Immature stages of the western populations are not known, but in the east, eggs turn orange (greenish yellow) soon after being laid. Mature larvae are dark yellowish-green with a dark dorsal stripe and a white and red lateral stripe (Guppy & Shepard 2001). Larvae hibernate.
Conservation
Not of concern.
Diet Info
The larva feeds on blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) (Layberry et al. 1998), but it has not been reared in Alberta.
Range
The Pink-edged Sulphur is a typical boreal species, occuring from the eastern seaboard west to BC south to Oregon and Montana. In the eastern US, it is found only in the northermost states (Opler 1999).
Citation
Page Citation for Colias interior
Page Citation
"Species Details - Colias interior, University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum." University of Alberta Museums Search Site, https://search.museums.ualberta.ca/g/2-2545/9-17305. Accessed 25 Feb. 2025.
References
Author
Opler, Paul A.
Title
A field guide to western butterflies.
Publication Date
1999
Pages
540
Author
Bird, C. D., G.J. Hilchie, N.G. Kondla, E.M. Pike and F. A. H. Sperling
Title
Alberta Butterflies
Publication Date
1995
Pages
349
Author
Guppy, Crispin S. and Jon H. Shepard
Title
Butterflies of British Columbia.
Publication Date
2001
Pages
414
Author
Layberry, Ross A.; Hall, Peter W. and J. Donald LaFontaine
Title
The Butterflies of Canada
Publication Date
1998
Pages
280
Specimen Information
There are 73 specimens of this Species.
UASM20613 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Cooking Lake
Collected ByMackie, Donald
Date Collected1918-07-17
UASM20614 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Cooking Lake
Collected ByMackie, Donald
Date Collected1918-07-18
UASM20615 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Hillcrest
Collected ByBowman, K.
Date Collected1921-06-26
UASM20616 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Waterton Lakes National Park, Waterton Park
Collected ByMcDunnough, J.
Date Collected1923-08-02
UASM20617 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Waterton Lakes National Park, Waterton Park
Collected ByStrickland, Edgar H.
Date Collected1923-07-08
UASM20618 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Beaverlodge
Collected ByBurgess, L.
UASM20619 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Condor
Collected ByBowman, K.
Date Collected1924-06-20
UASM20620 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Edmonton
Collected ByCreto, E.
Date Collected1957-07-18
UASM20621 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Opal
Collected ByHocking, Brian
Date Collected1955-08-09
UASM20622 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Condor
Collected ByBowman, K.
Date Collected1924-07-20
UASM20623 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Condor
Collected ByBowman, K.
Date Collected1924-07-20
UASM20624 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Hillcrest
Collected ByBowman, K.
Date Collected1921-06-26
UASM20625 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Cypress Hills
Collected ByBelicek, Joseph
Date Collected1971-07-03
UASM20626 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Cypress Hills
Collected ByBelicek, Joseph
Date Collected1971-07-03
UASM20627 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Cypress Hills
Collected ByBelicek, Joseph
Date Collected1971-07-03
UASM20628 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Cypress Hills
Collected ByBelicek, Joseph
Date Collected1971-07-03
UASM20629 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Cypress Hills
Collected ByBelicek, Joseph
Date Collected1971-07-03
UASM20630 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Cypress Hills
Collected ByBelicek, Joseph
Date Collected1971-07-03
UASM20664 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Nordegg
Collected ByBowman, K.
Date Collected1918-07-18
UASM33390 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Rocky Mountain House
Collected ByLawrie, D.
Date Collected1993-07-28
UASM33394 - Colias interior
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Rocky Mountain House
Collected ByLawrie, D.
Date Collected1997-07-05