Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

  Sighting 1075155

Large Orange Sulphur
Phoebis agarithe

Observation date: February 06, 2016
Submitted by: Ken Linden
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: Captured (and later released) on flowering jade plant in back yard. A small portion of the left front wing tip is missing. Weather, even though February, mid 70s F, sunny, calm. These sulfurs are fast flyers, and don't seem to alight for long. We have been trying to capture and ID one for some time now.
Status: Resident
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: February 07, 2016
Coordinator notes: Despite the yellow upperside, this appears to be a female Phoebis agarithe (Large Orange Sulphur) and not a Cloudless Sulphur, This species has only recently colonized southern California and from the summer of 2016 2017, 2018 and 2019 I was able to collect a series in San Clemente. They are subspecies fisheri and inhabit southern Baja California, some of what I took were yellow with the black tip on the forewings. So your record at Irvine then was a great record. I accidently reviewed this submission today-Ken Davenport
Checklist region(s): United States, California, Orange County