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.
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 73 - 96 of 12945 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 16, 2025
Submitted by: oliviadarse
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 24, 2025
Observation date: Jun 21, 2025
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 19, 2025
Observation date: Jul 12, 2025
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 13, 2025
Observation date: Jun 25, 2025
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: Holt County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 10, 2025
Observation date: Jul 09, 2025
Submitted by: yeraunt
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 09, 2025
Observation date: Sep 22, 2024
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 09, 2025
Observation date: Oct 07, 2020
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Morris County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 09, 2025
Observation date: May 23, 2025
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Cape May County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 08, 2025
Observation date: Sep 02, 2023
Submitted by: Ratty
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 05, 2025
Observation date: Apr 14, 2025
Submitted by: Mendrola
Region: Carroll County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 04, 2025
Observation date: Jun 12, 2025
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Jul 01, 2025
Observation date: Jun 28, 2025
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 29, 2025
Observation date: Jun 26, 2025
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 29, 2025
Observation date: Jun 13, 2025
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 17, 2025
Observation date: Jun 08, 2025
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: El Paso County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 15, 2025
Observation date: May 26, 2025
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 13, 2025
Observation date: May 30, 2025
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 13, 2025
Observation date: May 31, 2025
Submitted by: billd
Region: Major County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 13, 2025
Observation date: Jul 28, 2005
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 12, 2025
Observation date: Jun 06, 2025
Submitted by: Mendrola
Region: Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 10, 2025
Observation date: Jun 05, 2025
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Thurston County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 08, 2025
Observation date: Jun 07, 2025
Submitted by: Steven Wilson
Region: Nicholas County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 08, 2025
Observation date: Apr 10, 2025
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Jun 02, 2025
Observation date: May 30, 2025
Submitted by: bshettler
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: May 31, 2025
- ‹ previous
- 4 of 540
- next ›