Pink-edged Sulphur
Colias interior Scudder, 1862
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Coliadinae
Identification: Both sexes with conspicuous pink wing edges. Male yellow; female yellow or white (very rarely). Upperside of male with black border; border on female may be incomplete or only seen at tip of wing. Underside of hindwing clear yellow with single silver cell spot circled in pink.
Wing Span: 1 1/2 - 2 5/8 inches (3.9 - 6.6 cm).
Life History: Males patrol with a slow flight for females. Eggs are laid in midsummer on blueberry leaves, and young caterpillars overwinter. Most feeding occurs the following spring.
Flight: One flight from June-August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various blueberry plants (Vaccinium species) in the heath family (Ericaceae).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of bristly sarsaparilla and orange hawkweed.
Habitat: Shrubby openings in woods, bogs, or scrub areas where Ericaceae grows; often in burned or logged sites.
Range: From British Columbia and eastern Oregon east through the Great Lakes area to northern New England. Isolated population in central Appalachians of northeast Pennsylvania, western Maryland, eastern West Virginia, and northwest Virginia.
Conservation: Mountain populations of southern Appalachians should be monitored.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Investigate habitat management needs,if any, in southern Appalachian habitats.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 374 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 06, 2018
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Mar 31, 2025
Observation date: Jul 28, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Mar 02, 2025
Observation date: Aug 09, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Dec 08, 2024
Observation date: Aug 09, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Dec 08, 2024
Observation date: Aug 09, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Dec 08, 2024
Observation date: Jul 21, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 29, 2024
Observation date: Jul 21, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 29, 2024
Observation date: Jul 21, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 29, 2024
Observation date: Jul 14, 2024
Submitted by: John Gibbons
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 16, 2024
Observation date: Jul 04, 2024
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Essex County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 05, 2024
Observation date: Jun 05, 2024
Submitted by: John Gibbons
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jun 30, 2024
Observation date: Jul 25, 2022
Submitted by: Beth Polvino
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 05, 2023
Observation date: Aug 14, 2023
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 25, 2023
Observation date: Aug 12, 2023
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 25, 2023
Observation date: Jul 29, 2023
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 07, 2023
Observation date: Jul 28, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jul 29, 2023
Observation date: Aug 04, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jul 29, 2023
Observation date: Jul 28, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jul 29, 2023
Observation date: Jul 28, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jul 29, 2023
Observation date: Jul 12, 2022
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Crawford County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jun 26, 2023
Observation date: Aug 16, 2018
Submitted by: rbuist
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Jun 05, 2023
Observation date: Aug 20, 2022
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Oct 21, 2022
Observation date: Jul 24, 2021
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Oct 21, 2022
Observation date: Jul 24, 2021
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Oct 21, 2022
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