Resident in western North America (Scott 1986). Habitats are DESERT TO PINE FOREST. Host plants are usually herbaceous with most known hosts largely restricted to a few species in one family, Cruciferae. Eggs are laid on the host plant singly. Individuals overwinter as pupae. There are is one flight each year with the approximate flight time MAY15-JUN30 in the northern part of the range and FEB1-MAY30 in the southern part of their range (Scott 1986).

The Spring White (Pontia sisymbrii) is the easiest species to distinguish of the three Pontia whites; the dark vein markings on the hindwing underside are not connected laterally, and it occurs only in montane woodlands and extreme northern Alberta. Females have a yellow flush to them, unlike the Western and Checkered Whites. Alberta populations are the nominate subspecies. Mountain populations are referable to subspecies flavitincta, and our northern boreal populations are the recently-described subspecies beringiensis Guppy & Kondla (Guppy & Shepard 2001).

Primarily a species of the western mountainous regions, occuring from the Yukon south into northern Mexico (Opler 1999). The northern populations (Yukon, NWT, northern B.C. and northern AB) are geographically isolated from those further south.

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: (>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)) All western provinces and states from Yukon Territory to Baja California, and east to Black Hills of South Dakota, to western Nebraska, and to eastern New Mexico.

Open, often rocky conifer woodlands.

Comments: Open coniferous forests, rocky deserts, arroyos, steppes and others. In Olympics and Sierra Nevada, alpine hills.

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Larval food plants are not known in Alberta. In BC, females lay eggs on wild mustard (Arabis sp.) (Guppy & Shepard 2001).

Note: For many non-migratory species, occurrences are roughly equivalent to populations.

Estimated Number of Occurrences: 81 to >300

10,000 to >1,000,000 individuals

Males patrol for females (Scott, 1986).

One brood annually, with peak flight activity between early and late June.

The eggs are conical and elongated, and turn orange soon after they are laid (Guppy & Shepard 2001). Mature larvae have black lateral line and are light yellow with yellow bands separating the segments dorsally and laterally (Guppy & Shepard 2001). Puape are dark brown with darker spots, and have a rough texture (Guppy & Shepard 2001).

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 0
Species: 3
Species With Barcodes: 1

Not of concern.

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Degree of Threat: D : Unthreatened throughout its range, communities may be threatened in minor portions of the range or degree of variation falls within natural variation

Global Protection: Many to very many (13 to >40) occurrences appropriately protected and managed