The sooty orange tip (Zegris eupheme) is a Palearctic Pieridae butterfly that has a range that extends through southern Europe, southwest Europe, northern Africa, East Kazakhstan and Asia Minor. Global warming currently seems to be extending its range to the north. The habitat consists of open flowery grasslands amongst hills.
The wingspan is 46–50 mm (1.8–2.0 in). Adults have yellow undersides and a patch of orange. They have distinctive grey-black forewing tips. Adults are on wing from mid-March to mid-June in one generation per year.
The larvae feed on Sinapis incana, Raphanus, Sisymbrium polymorphum and Camelina laxa.
In Morocco, the species is particularly associated with woad (Isatis tinctoria), and is found at mid and high elevations in the Middle and High Atlas Mountains. Larvae are often found on the same individual host plant as caterpillars of Euchloe, Pieris rapae and Pieris brassicae. Compared to these other pierines, Z. eupheme is associated with very stable environments.
