Cloudless Sulphur
Phoebis sennae (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Coliadinae
Identification: Upper surface of male is lemon yellow with no markings. Female is yellow or white; outer edges of both wings with irregular black borders; upper forewing with dark spot in cell. Lower surface of hindwing of both sexes with 2 pink-edged silver spots.
Wing Span: 2 1/4 - 3 1/8 inches (5.7 - 8 cm).
Life History: Males patrol with rapid flight, searching for receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on young leaves or flower buds of host plants; caterpillars eat leaves and rest on underside of leaf petioles.
Flight: Many flights year around in the Deep South; may have one flight in late summer in other southern states; immigrants to northern states in August or September usually do not reproduce.
Caterpillar Hosts: Cassia species in the pea family (Fabaceae).
Adult Food: Nectar from many different flowers with long tubes including cordia, bougainvilla, cardinal flower, hibiscus, lantana, and wild morning glory.
Habitat: Disturbed open areas including parks, yards, gardens, beaches, road edges, abandoned fields, scrub.
Range: Permanent resident from Argentina north to southern Texas and the Deep South. Regular visitor and occasional colonist in most of the eastern United States and the Southwest.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 6028 verified sightings
Observation date: Nov 13, 2025
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 17, 2025
Observation date: Aug 15, 2025
Submitted by: Blablancwillis
Region: Douglas County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 24, 2025
Submitted by: TuTuponyrider
Region: Riley County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Oct 15, 2025
Submitted by: blueracer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 24, 2025
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Anderson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Sep 15, 2025
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Sep 07, 2025
Submitted by: Snellzy
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Oct 23, 2025
Submitted by: Lisa Eason
Region: Hunt County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Sep 26, 2025
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Sep 30, 2025
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Jul 24, 2025
Submitted by: Petrolfox
Region: Madison County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Oct 14, 2025
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 15, 2025
Observation date: Sep 07, 2025
Submitted by: mathgeek
Region: Jackson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 04, 2025
Observation date: Sep 29, 2025
Submitted by: AzarNick
Region: Pettis County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 30, 2025
Observation date: Sep 28, 1992
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Denton County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 20, 2025
Observation date: Sep 27, 1992
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Denton County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 20, 2025
Observation date: Sep 11, 2025
Submitted by: rrivard
Region: Levy County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 18, 2025
Observation date: Sep 11, 2025
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 14, 2025
Observation date: Sep 04, 2025
Submitted by: Lisa McClendon
Region: Mississippi County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 05, 2025
Observation date: Aug 17, 2025
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Orangeburg County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 18, 2025
Observation date: Aug 13, 2025
Submitted by: lantanagal
Region: Sumter County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 15, 2025
Observation date: Aug 07, 2025
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 12, 2025
Observation date: Jul 10, 2025
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Aug 08, 2025
Observation date: Jul 28, 2025
Submitted by: Kristin.brown87
Region: Hopkins County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 28, 2025
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