Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice Godart, 1819
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Coliadinae
Identification: Upper surface of male wings bright, clear yellow with solid black edging; lower side of forewing with some dark submarginal spots; hindwing with silver cell spot rimmed with orange-pink, usually doubled. Female has 2 forms: yellow form with uneven black edging enclosing yellow spots, and a white form which is greenish-white rather than yellow. Spring and fall forms are smaller and less conspicuously marked.
Wing Span: 1 1/2 - 2 3/4 inches (3.8 - 7 cm).
Life History: Eggs laid singly on host; caterpillars eat leaves. Hibernation is by third-stage caterpillars.
Flight: Three flights in the north from May-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 pea (Pisum sativum).
Adult Food: Flower nectar of many plants.
Habitat: Many different open areas including fields, lawns, alfalfa and clover fields, road edges, meadows.
Range: Alaska south through central and southeast Canada, all of conterminous United states except much of California, south Texas, and most of Florida.
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: Not reported.
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 1 - 24 of 13115 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 04, 2026
Submitted by: Graycatbird88
Region: New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 04, 2026
Observation date: Jun 19, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Pocahontas County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 24, 2026
Observation date: Jun 18, 2026
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 23, 2026
Observation date: Jun 14, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 21, 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 11, 2026
Submitted by: robjm99
Region: Licking County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 13, 2026
Observation date: Jun 06, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 07, 2026
Observation date: May 30, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: May 31, 2026
Observation date: May 25, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Washington County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 30, 2026
Observation date: May 20, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: May 24, 2026
Observation date: Jul 13, 2025
Submitted by: billd
Region: Major County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 23, 2026
Observation date: May 10, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: May 17, 2026
Observation date: May 14, 2026
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Harford County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 17, 2026
Observation date: May 09, 2026
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 10, 2026
Observation date: May 01, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Pocahontas County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 03, 2026
Observation date: May 01, 2026
Submitted by: blgreco
Region: Archuleta County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: May 03, 2026
Observation date: Apr 25, 2026
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 26, 2026
Observation date: Apr 07, 2026
Submitted by: sgguthart
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Apr 26, 2026
Observation date: Apr 15, 2026
Submitted by: blgreco
Region: Archuleta County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Apr 19, 2026
Observation date: Aug 13, 2025
Submitted by: Bombyx-Aurelia
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 11, 2026
Observation date: Nov 01, 2024
Submitted by: philsfotos1
Region: Iosco County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Apr 07, 2026
Observation date: Jul 17, 2024
Submitted by: DianaMK
Region: Beltrami County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 01, 2026
Observation date: Mar 25, 2026
Submitted by: blgreco
Region: Archuleta County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Mar 29, 2026
Observation date: Aug 30, 2025
Submitted by: acb22
Region: Houghton County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
- 1 of 547
- next ›