Cloudless Sulphur
Phoebis sennae (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Coliadinae
Identification: Upper surface of male is lemon yellow with no markings. Female is yellow or white; outer edges of both wings with irregular black borders; upper forewing with dark spot in cell. Lower surface of hindwing of both sexes with 2 pink-edged silver spots.
Wing Span: 2 1/4 - 3 1/8 inches (5.7 - 8 cm).
Life History: Males patrol with rapid flight, searching for receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on young leaves or flower buds of host plants; caterpillars eat leaves and rest on underside of leaf petioles.
Flight: Many flights year around in the Deep South; may have one flight in late summer in other southern states; immigrants to northern states in August or September usually do not reproduce.
Caterpillar Hosts: Cassia species in the pea family (Fabaceae).
Adult Food: Nectar from many different flowers with long tubes including cordia, bougainvilla, cardinal flower, hibiscus, lantana, and wild morning glory.
Habitat: Disturbed open areas including parks, yards, gardens, beaches, road edges, abandoned fields, scrub.
Range: Permanent resident from Argentina north to southern Texas and the Deep South. Regular visitor and occasional colonist in most of the eastern United States and the Southwest.
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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 6051 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 29, 2026
Submitted by: mikeandpaige
Region: Knox County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 01, 2026
Observation date: Jul 18, 2026
Submitted by: acb22
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jul 31, 2026
Observation date: Jul 27, 2026
Submitted by: GrammaRalph
Region: DeSoto County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 29, 2026
Observation date: Jun 25, 2026
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jul 13, 2026
Observation date: Jun 05, 2026
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jul 13, 2026
Observation date: Jul 05, 2026
Submitted by: adriel86
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 12, 2026
Observation date: Jun 06, 2026
Submitted by: Bixia
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 01, 2026
Observation date: Jun 27, 2026
Submitted by: Lisa McClendon
Region: Craighead County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 28, 2026
Observation date: Oct 19, 2025
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 11, 2026
Observation date: Sep 01, 2025
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 10, 2026
Observation date: Aug 31, 2025
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 05, 2026
Observation date: Aug 31, 2025
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 05, 2026
Observation date: Aug 31, 2025
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 05, 2026
Observation date: Sep 23, 2025
Submitted by: LanaV
Region: Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 29, 2026
Observation date: Oct 14, 2024
Submitted by: systanfield
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: May 06, 2026
Observation date: Apr 02, 2026
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: May 04, 2026
Observation date: Mar 18, 2026
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 31, 2026
Observation date: Aug 29, 2024
Submitted by: Jbanks
Region: Cullman County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: Alex Stach
Verified date: Mar 23, 2026
Observation date: Aug 20, 2019
Submitted by: Mboater
Region: Amherst County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 18, 2026
Observation date: Jul 27, 2024
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 17, 2026
Observation date: Mar 05, 2026
Submitted by: Lani57
Region: Orange County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 06, 2026
Observation date: Dec 03, 2025
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Jan 17, 2026
Observation date: Jan 02, 2026
Submitted by: aturney
Region: Texas, Polk County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 02, 2026
Observation date: Nov 13, 2025
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 17, 2025
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