Little Yellow IV

Little Yellow (Eurema lisa ). The mating pair in the front of this illustration are a bit more than twice their natural size. The female in the upper left has been drawn to scale and is depositing her eggs.  Females lay incredibly minute eggs.  After hatching from these eggs, the caterpillars eventually grow to 3/4 th of an inch in length and are green with a fine pile and a white stripe down each side.  Illustrations of these caterpillars are just to the upper right of the mating pair. 

The egg is usually laid on a legume such as Wild Senna or the Partridge Pea(Chamaecrista fasciculata), illustrated here.  Clovers(Trifolium) and Hog Peanuts(Amphicarpse) can also serve as host plants for Little Yellows.

The Partridge Pea as well as most clovers are common in both disturbed and naturally open areas such as roadsides and meadows. They are some of the first plants to rejuvenate an area because they provide a natural fertilizer to depleted or poor soil.  All legumes are plants with nodules on their roots containing bacteria that convert N2 gas from the atmosphere into a form of nitrogen that plants and eventually the rest of us can use.

All watercolors may be purchased as an original painting, or as a Giclee Print in a variety of  sizes.  For further viewing, purchase, or commissions, please contact me at:    clgilbane@gmail.com

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