National Moth Week is July 18-26!
Moths are amazing creatures. Take photographs and share your moth sightings with us to document the moths where you live.
Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme Boisduval, 1852
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Coliadinae
Identification: Quite variable. Upperside of male yellow with orange overlay, yellow veins, wide black border, and dark black cell spot. Female yellow or white with irregular black border surrounding light spots. Underside hindwing spot silver with 2 concentric dark rings, and a spot above it.
Wing Span: 1 3/8 - 2 3/4 inches (3.5 - 7 cm).
Life History: Males patrol for receptive females, who lay eggs singly on top of host plant leaves. Most feeding takes place at night. Young caterpillars chew holes in the tops of leaves, then later feed from the leaf tip. Older caterpillars eat half of the leaf before moving to the other half. Chrysalids overwinter.
Flight: Two-three flights in the north from June-October, 4-5 in the south from March-November.
Caterpillar Hosts: Plants in the pea family (Fabaceae) including alfalfa (Medicago sativa), white clover (Trifolium repens), and white sweet clover (Melilotus alba).
Adult Food: Nectar from many kinds of flowers including dandelion, milkweeds, goldenrods, and asters.
Habitat: A wide variety of open sites, especially clover and alfalfa fields, mowed fields, vacant lots, meadows, road edges.
Range: Southern Canada to central Mexico, coast to coast in the United States except for the Florida peninsula. Comments: One of the most widespread and common butterflies in North America.
Conservation: Not required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Caterpillars can be very destructive in alfalfa fields.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 13005 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 13, 2026
Submitted by: jkarthei
Region: Pettis County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 14, 2026
Observation date: Jul 13, 2026
Submitted by: jkarthei
Region: Pettis County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 14, 2026
Observation date: Jul 13, 2026
Submitted by: jkarthei
Region: Pettis County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 14, 2026
Observation date: Jul 11, 2026
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 14, 2026
Observation date: Jun 24, 2026
Submitted by: sandyleapt
Region: Multnomah County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 13, 2026
Observation date: Jul 07, 2026
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Riley County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 11, 2026
Observation date: Jul 07, 2026
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Riley County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 11, 2026
Observation date: Jul 10, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 11, 2026
Observation date: Jul 05, 2026
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 11, 2026
Observation date: Jun 06, 2026
Submitted by: zbeckb
Region: Campbell County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 11, 2026
Observation date: Jun 07, 2026
Submitted by: Gruntaloob
Region: James City County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Jul 10, 2026
Observation date: Aug 08, 2025
Submitted by: zbeckb
Region: Hamilton County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 10, 2026
Observation date: Jul 08, 2026
Submitted by: Rgilson
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Jul 09, 2026
Observation date: Apr 10, 2026
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Fairfax County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Jul 09, 2026
Observation date: Jul 08, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 08, 2026
Observation date: Jun 20, 2026
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Plumas County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 04, 2026
Observation date: Jun 30, 2026
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 02, 2026
Observation date: Jun 30, 2020
Submitted by: rbuist
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Jun 28, 2026
Observation date: Jun 19, 2026
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 19, 2026
Observation date: Jun 13, 2026
Submitted by: Varn
Region: Jefferson County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 18, 2026
Observation date: Jun 15, 2026
Submitted by: mojoedevine
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 17, 2026
Observation date: Jun 15, 2026
Submitted by: mojoedevine
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 17, 2026
Observation date: Dec 11, 2025
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Jun 15, 2026
Observation date: Jun 13, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 14, 2026
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