In 1973 the state legislature selected the dog face
butterfly (Zerene eurydice) as the official California State Insect.
[Alternative name: Colias eurydice.] The dog face butterfly is brilliantly
colored and has a wingspan of less than two inches. The male's fore
wing is purplish to pinkish orange with dark purplish brown along
the front and outer edges. The pattern of the orange area resembles
a dog's face in profile. The female's fore wing is entirely yellow
except for a conspicuous black dot. The hind wings of both sexes
are a brilliant yellow.
The dog face butterfly is found in open woodlands along
coastal California south to the Baja California peninsula.
