California Dogface

Zerene eurydice, the California Dogface butterfly, is sometimes placed in the related genus as Colias eurydice. It is endemic to California, and its state insect insignia. Male saffron-orange above with curved and pointed FW tips and thick black FW margin indented in poodle-head pattern. (Some populations also have black HW margin.) Male may have brilliant plum-red or violet-purple sheen to dog-face. Female pale yellow with pointed wing tips; barely suggesting or lacking dark FW margin. Below, deep yellow or greenish with black FW cell ring, silvery spots in HW cell.

The 'dogface' name comes from a wing pattern resembling a dog's face (some think it looks like a poodle) which is found on the male of the species. California Dogface wings are an iridescent bluish-black, orange and sulfur-yellow in color. The female has a small black dot on each of its yellow forewings. The typical forewing length is between 22 to 31 mm.

Although it was relatively recently (1972) that the California Dogface by law became the official California State Butterfly, it has long been known unofficially as our state insect by California entomologists. In the 1920's, members of the Lorquin Entomological Society of Los Angeles initiated a search to find an official state butterfly. They narrowed the possibilities to three butterflies: Lorquin's Admiral, the California Sister and the California Dogface.

Vicious debates ensued until it was agreed that the California Dogface should be our state butterfly. One of the major factors responsible for this decision was the fact that the California Dogface was the only one of the three candidates limited solely to California in distribution. As with most butterfly species, the California Dogface varies somewhat in pattern with each individual. A number of "aberrants" have been named and some of these forms are listed in Orsak's book with descriptions.

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