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.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 5817 verified sightings
Observation date: Dec 23, 2022
Submitted by: pogden46@icloud.com
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 02, 2023
Observation date: Dec 19, 2022
Submitted by: Erik Stabl
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 20, 2022
Observation date: Nov 29, 2022
Submitted by: Hanna Cravens
Region: Washington County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Dec 01, 2022
Observation date: Aug 13, 2022
Submitted by: rosasviajes
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Dec 01, 2022
Observation date: Nov 21, 2022
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 29, 2022
Observation date: Aug 20, 2022
Submitted by: rosasviajes
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Nov 27, 2022
Observation date: Nov 13, 2022
Submitted by: Keysgirl
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Nov 17, 2022
Observation date: Nov 11, 2022
Submitted by: Rmclaughlin
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 14, 2022
Observation date: Oct 24, 2022
Submitted by: larryheine@gmail.com
Region: Johnston County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Nov 09, 2022
Observation date: Nov 08, 2022
Submitted by: SM_TN
Region: Union County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Nov 08, 2022
Observation date: Nov 06, 2022
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Luna County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 08, 2022
Observation date: Jan 06, 2014
Submitted by: DJHiker
Region: Guantanamo, Cuba
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Nov 05, 2022
Observation date: Oct 30, 2022
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 01, 2022
Observation date: Sep 26, 2022
Submitted by: Dobber31
Region: Benton County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Nov 01, 2022
Observation date: Sep 09, 2022
Submitted by: bchensel
Region: Cabarrus County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Nov 01, 2022
Observation date: Oct 28, 2022
Submitted by: philsfotos1
Region: Hyde County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 29, 2022
Observation date: Oct 18, 2022
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 28, 2022
Observation date: Oct 23, 2022
Submitted by: terrymortier
Region: Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 25, 2022
Observation date: Dec 04, 2021
Submitted by: SunnyEstelle
Region: Brazos County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 24, 2022
Observation date: Oct 15, 2022
Submitted by: DannyboyKS
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 23, 2022
Observation date: Sep 18, 2022
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 23, 2022
Observation date: Nov 03, 2019
Submitted by: tirvine2020
Region: Jamaica
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 23, 2022
Observation date: Oct 21, 2022
Submitted by: jbolduc
Region: Kosciusko County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 22, 2022
Observation date: Oct 21, 2022
Submitted by: SamanthaI
Region: Bell County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 22, 2022
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