Dainty Sulphur
Nathalis iole Boisduval, 1836
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Coliadinae
Identification: Small, with elongated forewings. Upperside yellow with black markings, female with more extensive black than male. White form very rare. Underside of forewing with orange or yellow patch at base of wing and black spots at outer wing edge. Winter form has dusty green hindwing, summer form hindwing is pale yellow.
Wing Span: 3/4 - 1 1/4 inches (2 - 3.2 cm).
Life History: Males patrol a few inches above the ground in low areas for females. Females lay eggs singly on leaves of host plant seedlings. Adults rest with wings closed and held perpendicular to the sun's rays to warm themselves.
Flight: Throughout the year in peninsular Florida and South Texas. After overwintering as adults in the South, some migrate north in spring and summer. Flight of about 6 months in the north.
Caterpillar Hosts: Low-growing plants in the aster family (Asteraceae) especially shepherd's needle (Bidens pilosa), sneezeweed (Helenium), fetid marigold (Dyssodia), and cultivated marigold (Tagetes).
Adult Food: Nectars at Labrador tea, asters, wild marigold, rabbitbrush, and others.
Habitat: Open, dry places including coastal flats, weedy fields, grasslands, road edges, meadows, and hillsides.
Range: Resident in Guatemala north to peninsular Florida and the Southwest. Cannot survive cold winters, therefore every summer re-colonizes through the Great Plains to southeast Washington, southeast Idaho, Wyoming, and Minnesota.
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 73 - 96 of 2235 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 30, 2023
Submitted by: matt johnstone
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 01, 2023
Observation date: Jul 02, 2020
Submitted by: Robb Hannawacker
Region: San Juan County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Aug 18, 2023
Submitted by: terrymortier
Region: Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 20, 2023
Observation date: Jul 31, 2023
Submitted by: Zencoyote
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 03, 2023
Observation date: Jul 23, 2023
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Yavapai County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Aug 01, 2023
Observation date: Jul 23, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 25, 2023
Observation date: Jul 08, 2023
Submitted by: Russ Wigh
Region: Chatham County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 21, 2023
Observation date: Jun 26, 2023
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 08, 2023
Observation date: Jun 25, 2023
Submitted by: marthainfreeport
Region: The Bahamas
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jun 29, 2023
Observation date: Jun 28, 2023
Submitted by: Dobber31
Region: Benton County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 29, 2023
Observation date: Jun 25, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 25, 2023
Observation date: Jun 03, 2023
Submitted by: williamharmonlds
Region: McKinley County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
Observation date: Jun 07, 2023
Submitted by: robtluke@aol.com
Region: Chaves County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
Observation date: May 24, 2023
Submitted by: kowen
Region: Hays County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 27, 2023
Observation date: Apr 08, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 25, 2023
Observation date: May 12, 2023
Submitted by: Russ Wigh
Region: Chatham County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: May 13, 2023
Observation date: Oct 14, 2022
Submitted by: williamharmonlds
Region: McKinley County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 04, 2023
Observation date: Apr 20, 2023
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: May 01, 2023
Observation date: Apr 20, 2023
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: May 01, 2023
Observation date: Apr 04, 2023
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 21, 2023
Observation date: Apr 10, 2023
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Adams County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Apr 18, 2023
Observation date: Mar 22, 2023
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Mar 24, 2023
Observation date: Feb 24, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 24, 2023
Observation date: Feb 10, 2023
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 16, 2023
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