Desert Marble

Euchloe lotta

Size: 1.25 - 1.5 inches wingspan

​

Key ID features:  Above, pearly-white with black pattern on FW tip and thin black rectangle in forewing cell with no white scaling. Below, green marbling is darker, sometimes bluish and grainy.

​

Similar species:  Large Marble is notably larger. California Marble lacks pearly or shiny look to white areas, and is found only in and near Josephine County.

Host plant: Tall tumblemustard, tansy mustard, rockcress and other crucifers.​

​

Habitat: Primarily arid bottomlands, including desert flats, sage-steppe, bitterbrush plateaus, Pinyon-Juniper forest, and dry gullies.

​

Range: Most of eastern Oregon except Blue, Aldrich and Wallowa Mtns.

​

Season: Late March to late June

​

Abundance: Common

Conservation Status: Secure