Family Pieridae - With a 1,100 species world wide and 58 in North America, pierid larvae are agricultural pests of legumes (alfalfa, clover, peas, beans, lentils, lupins, mesquite, carob, soy, and peanuts) and cruciferous crops (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kohlrabi, collard, mustard, turnip).

Most of these butterflies are shades of yellow, white, or pale green. There is often dramatic color variation between the sexes, seasonal, and even members of the same species. For all intents and purposes, the clouded and orange sulphurs, for instance, are generally spoken of as on species in the field, they being virtually impossible to tell apart, short of dissection.