Southern Dogface
Colias (Zerene) cesonia

Southern Dogface is locally common in the Coastal Plain and locally uncommon to rare north of the Fall Line with few sightings north of Atlanta. The habitat is open areas including old fields, open woodlands and turkey oak sandhills. The hostplants are False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa), Summer Farewell (Dalea pinnata), Feay’s Prairieclover (Dalea feayi), Purple Prairieclover (Dalea purpurea), Barneby Purpletassels (Dalea gattingeri) (Walker and Catoosa Counties), and Soybean (Glycine). They are often seen nectaring on Poorjoe (Diodia teres). There are three broods: March to early June, July and August, and September to late February or early March of the following year. The fall brood represents the rosa form and has deep pink markings on the ventral wings. The rosa form overwinters and flies again in the early spring. Early Date: 22 February (Thomas County); Late Date: October 21 (Stewart County). Conservation Status: Secure