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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 241 - 264 of 13106 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 09, 2022
Submitted by: DDethlef
Region: Mesa County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Feb 12, 2023
Observation date: Aug 25, 2018
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Feb 11, 2023
Observation date: Aug 14, 2021
Submitted by: mothman@telus.net
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 11, 2023
Observation date: Aug 08, 2019
Submitted by: Aat
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Feb 10, 2023
Observation date: Jun 30, 2019
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 08, 2023
Observation date: Aug 15, 2009
Submitted by: hyaku2003
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 07, 2023
Observation date: Aug 22, 2022
Submitted by: PONYRCR
Region: Sweetwater County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 06, 2023
Observation date: Jul 18, 2022
Submitted by: frogbandit
Region: Yukon Territory, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jan 27, 2023
Observation date: Sep 22, 2020
Submitted by: heinert
Region: Burleigh County, North Dakota, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Jan 17, 2023
Observation date: Sep 17, 2022
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 02, 2023
Observation date: Sep 01, 2022
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Dec 30, 2022
Observation date: Oct 10, 2022
Submitted by: PDunwiddie
Region: Wayne County, Utah, United States
Verified by: RaisingButterfl...
Verified date: Dec 11, 2022
Observation date: Sep 05, 2022
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Nov 28, 2022
Observation date: Nov 23, 2022
Submitted by: kristenej
Region: Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 24, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2022
Submitted by: Seth Mueller
Region: St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Nov 13, 2022
Observation date: Nov 07, 2022
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 10, 2022
Observation date: Aug 01, 2022
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Nov 09, 2022
Observation date: Nov 01, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Nov 04, 2022
Observation date: Nov 01, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Nov 04, 2022
Observation date: Sep 29, 2022
Submitted by: Dreamflyer24
Region: Beltrami County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Nov 04, 2022
Observation date: Nov 01, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Nov 04, 2022
Observation date: Nov 01, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Nov 04, 2022
Observation date: Oct 31, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Nov 04, 2022
Observation date: Oct 30, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Nov 04, 2022
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