Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe (Cramer, 1779)
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Coliadinae
Identification: Upperside of wings orange in both sexes; orange-yellow form rare. Forewing with small black cell spot. Male with sharply defined black borders on outer and costal margins; female borders not so well-defined. In winter form, underside of hindwing is brick red, brown, or tan; in summer form it is orange-yellow.
Wing Span: 1 3/8 - 2 1/4 inches (3.5 - 5.7 cm).
Life History: Males patrol flats and gullies for females. Females lay eggs singly under host plant leaves. Caterpillars eat leaves. Dry season form overwinters and lays eggs in spring.
Flight: Four-five flights, all year long, in southern Texas and Deep South. Mid- to late summer in the north.
Caterpillar Hosts: Cassia species in the pea family (Fabaceae).
Adult Food: Nectar from many species of flowers, including shepherd's needle (Bidens pilosa).
Habitat: Low elevation areas including pine flats, fields, desert scrub, gardens, vacant lots, road edges, and washes.
Range: Central America north to along the United States-Mexico border; vagrant to non-mountainous parts of the eastern U. S. south of 40 latitude; rare stray to Ontario, Connecticut, South Dakota, and Colorado.
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.
Comments: NULL
Alternate Scientific Names:
Eurema nicippe
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 5349 verified sightings
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: Jul 27, 2025
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 01, 2025
Observation date: Jul 24, 2025
Submitted by: asombro_institute
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 25, 2025
Observation date: Oct 03, 2017
Submitted by: beverlynantz
Region: Harlan County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 23, 2025
Observation date: Jul 20, 2025
Submitted by: TJM321
Region: Texas, Travis County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 22, 2025
Observation date: Jun 21, 2025
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 17, 2025
Observation date: Jul 13, 2025
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 17, 2025
Observation date: Jul 06, 2025
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 15, 2025
Observation date: Dec 12, 2014
Submitted by: Rob Williams
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Jul 31, 2020
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 09, 2025
Observation date: Aug 30, 2024
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 04, 2025
Observation date: Oct 19, 2024
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Rockingham County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 04, 2025
Observation date: Jun 25, 2025
Submitted by: Bluefox122
Region: Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 01, 2025
Observation date: Aug 13, 2024
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 19, 2025
Observation date: Mar 20, 2025
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Mar 24, 2025
Observation date: Feb 13, 2025
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Mar 02, 2025
Observation date: Jun 05, 2024
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 06, 2025
Observation date: Feb 01, 2025
Submitted by: starmans
Region: Texas, Travis County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 04, 2025
Observation date: Jun 05, 2024
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 27, 2025
Observation date: Oct 03, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 10, 2024
Observation date: Oct 03, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 10, 2024
Observation date: Oct 05, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 06, 2024
Observation date: Oct 13, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 03, 2024
Observation date: Oct 21, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 01, 2024
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