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 1 - 24 of 13002 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 28, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Mar 01, 2025
Observation date: Jul 28, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Mar 01, 2025
Observation date: Jul 28, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Mar 01, 2025
Observation date: Jul 23, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Mar 01, 2025
Observation date: Aug 04, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Mar 01, 2025
Observation date: Aug 04, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Mar 01, 2025
Observation date: Aug 09, 2024
Submitted by: actuallyamagpie
Region: Butler County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jan 09, 2025
Observation date: Dec 14, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jan 01, 2025
Observation date: Oct 12, 2024
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Nov 20, 2024
Observation date: Sep 14, 2024
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: El Paso County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 09, 2024
Observation date: Oct 30, 2024
Submitted by: Mike L
Region: Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Nov 09, 2024
Observation date: Oct 30, 2024
Submitted by: Mike L
Region: Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Nov 09, 2024
Observation date: Aug 05, 2024
Submitted by: John Gibbons
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 29, 2024
Observation date: Oct 19, 2024
Submitted by: Mike L
Region: Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 20, 2024
Observation date: Oct 17, 2024
Submitted by: Mike L
Region: Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 20, 2024
Observation date: Oct 17, 2024
Submitted by: Mike L
Region: Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 20, 2024
Observation date: Oct 18, 2024
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Harper County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Oct 18, 2024
Observation date: Oct 12, 2024
Submitted by: Mike L
Region: Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 14, 2024
Observation date: Oct 12, 2024
Submitted by: Mike L
Region: Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 14, 2024
Observation date: Oct 12, 2024
Submitted by: Mike L
Region: Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 14, 2024
Observation date: Oct 06, 2024
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Champaign County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 12, 2024
Observation date: Jul 02, 2024
Submitted by: James F Parker
Region: Southeast Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 11, 2024
Observation date: Aug 12, 2007
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 10, 2024
Observation date: Sep 28, 2022
Submitted by: titoToucan
Region: Clermont County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 09, 2024
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