Eurema mexicana
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Eurema mexicana, the Mexican yellow, sometimes called the wolf-face sulphur, is a North and South American butterfly in the family Pieridae. It occurs mainly in Mexico but occasionally is found in central and southwestern United States and rarely in Canada.
The upperside of the wings is pale yellow with a black forewing submarginal border outlining a "dog" or "wolf-face" pattern. The hindwing has a small outer margin black border. The male has a bright yellow patch on the leading edge of the hindwing. The underside of the wings is pale yellow in summer individuals and pale yellow with reddish markings or all reddish pink in winter individuals. The hindwing is sharply pointed. The wingspan measures 1+1⁄4 to 2+1⁄4 inches (32–57 mm).
Similar species in the Mexican yellow's range include Boisduval's yellow (Eurema boisduvaliana) and the Salome yellow (Eurema salome). Boisduval's yellow is smaller and brighter yellow, the male has a weaker "dog face" pattern, the female has reduced black on the upper side, and the hindwing is less sharply pointed.
The Salome yellow is brighter yellow, has more limited black on the upperside, and the underside... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 4 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 5 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Luis Potosí | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 2 | Monterrey | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 3 | Mexico City | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 4 | San Antonio | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Phoenix | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Dallas | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Mexican Yellow sighting in Phoenix on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 236th most-seen of the 264 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Mexican Yellow in Phoenix on a given day, against under 5% in October to August, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Mexican Yellow sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
5th of 6
Of the 6 cities where we can rate Mexican Yellow sightings, Phoenix ranks 5th at under 5%. The best odds are in San Luis Potosí (México, about 10%), Monterrey (México, under 5%) and Mexico City (México, under 5%).
Same family: Pieridae
The closest relatives of the Mexican Yellow that you can see in Phoenix (family Pieridae, Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs) are Sleepy Orange (about 10%), Checkered White (about 10%) and Dainty Sulphur (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Mexican Yellow is recorded against all the insects logged in Phoenix (5 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
