Anthocharis midea
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Anthocharis midea, the falcate orangetip, is a North American butterfly that was described in 1809 by Jacob Hübner. It belongs to the family Pieridae, which is the white and sulphurs. These butterflies are mostly seen in the eastern United States, and in Texas and Oklahoma. They eat the nectar of violets and mustards. They tend to live in open, wet woods along waterways, in open swamps, and less often in dry woods and ridgetops. This species is a true springtime butterfly, being on the wing from April to May (March to May in southern Texas).
The tip of the upper side of the male's forewing is orange; females, however, lack this. Both have a round black spot located in the cell. The underside of the hindwing usually has intricate green marbling. The orangetips have a wingspan of around 3.5-4.5 centimeters.
The only similar species in the falcate orangetip's range is the Olympia marble (Euchloe olympia). The upper side of the Olympia marble's forewing has a grayish-black apex and the underside of the hindwing has yellow-green marbling.
Males patrol hilltops and flats all day seeking females. Females lay their eggs singly on... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Falcate Orangetip sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 628th most-seen of the 822 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.
March
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Falcate Orangetip in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April to February, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Falcate Orangetip sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Falcate Orangetip sightings, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Shenandoah National Park (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Pieridae
The closest relatives of the Falcate Orangetip that you can see in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (family Pieridae, Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs) are West Virginia White (about 20%), Cloudless Sulphur (about 10%) and Sleepy Orange (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Falcate Orangetip is recorded against all the insects logged in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (5 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
