Catopsilia pomona (Fabricius, 1775)
Lemon Migrant
 (one synonym : Colias jugurthina Godart, 1819)
COLIADINAE,   PIERIDAE,   PAPILIONOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Catopsilia pomona
(Specimen: courtesy of the Butterfly House, Coffs Harbour)

The Caterpillar is green with a dark dorsal stripe, and has a pale green head with black dots. The foodplants of this caterpillar are various Australian native species in the family CAESALPINIACEAE, such as :

  • Brewster's Cassia ( Cassia brewsteri ),
  • Pink Lady ( Cassia javanica ),
  • Mark's Cassia ( Cassia marksiana ),
  • Queensland Cassia ( Cassia queenslandica ),
  • Velvet Bean ( Cassia tomentella ),
  • Candle Bush ( Senna alata ),
  • Jewelled Senna ( Senna coronilloides ),
  • Weedy Senna ( Senna magnifolia ),
  • Scented Senna ( Senna odorata ),
  • Chocolate Bush ( Senna pleurocarpa ), and
  • Candlestick Senna ( Senna venusta ).

    as well as the exotics :

  • Golden Shower ( Cassia fistula ),
  • Popcorn Senna ( Senna didymobotrya ), and
  • Kassod Tree ( Senna siamea ).

    The caterpillar usually rests lying along the midrib of a leaf, making it very difficult to see.

    Catopsilia pomona
    (Specimen: courtesy of the Butterfly House, Coffs Harbour)

    The pupa is also hard to see, as it closely resembles a leaf. It is green with a pointed head, and often attached upright to a stem of the foodplant by cremaster and girdle.

    Catopsilia pomona
    Male
    (Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

    The adults have a wingspan up to 6 cms. The wings of the male are white with black wingtips, and a yellow blush toward the hinges.

    Catopsilia pomona
    Female
    (Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

    The wings of the female are pale yellow with black edges and spots.

    Catopsilia pomona
    Male underside
    (Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

    Underneath, the wings are dirty white with dark orange markings.

    Catopsilia pomona
    Female underside
    (Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

    The eggs are pale yellow and barrel-shaped with ribs. They are laid singly on leaflets of a foodplant.

    The species occurs from Madagascar through south-east Asia, including :

  • Cambodia,
  • China,
  • India,
  • Malaysia,
  • New Guinea,

    and in Australia in:

  • Northern Territory,
  • Queensland,
  • New South Wales,
  • Victoria,
  • South Australia, and
  • Western Australia.

    Catopsilia pomona
    (Photo: courtesy of Ian McMillan, Imbil, Queensland)

    This species is featured at Coffs Harbour Butterfly House. Butterflies of this species may be purchased for release at weddings etc.

    Further reading :

    Michael F. Braby,
    Butterflies of Australia,
    CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne 2000, vol. 1, pp. 291-293.

    Johan Christian Fabricius,
    Historiae Natvralis Favtoribvs,
    Systema Entomologiae (1775), p. 479, No. 158.

    Frank Jordan & Helen Schwencke,
    Create More Butterflies : a guide to 48 butterflies and their host-plants
    Earthling Enterprises, Brisbane, 2005, p. 28.

    Ross Kendall,
    Images of Butterfly Larvae,
    Butterflies and Other Invertebrates Club,
    Metamorphosis Australia,
    Issue 55 (December 2009), p. 32.

    Buck Richardson,
    Tropical Queensland Wildlife from Dusk to Dawn Science and Art,
    LeapFrogOz, Kuranda, 2015, p. 223.

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    (updated 4 December 2009, 9 August 2024)