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 73 - 96 of 5992 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 12, 2024
Submitted by: Leo York
Region: Anderson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 12, 2024
Observation date: Aug 12, 2024
Submitted by: Elfin
Region: Sussex County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 12, 2024
Observation date: Aug 09, 2024
Submitted by: alise771
Region: Polk County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 10, 2024
Observation date: Aug 09, 2024
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Richland County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 10, 2024
Observation date: Aug 08, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 09, 2024
Observation date: Aug 05, 2024
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 08, 2024
Observation date: Aug 06, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 06, 2024
Observation date: Aug 06, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 06, 2024
Observation date: Aug 06, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 06, 2024
Observation date: Jul 27, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Aug 01, 2024
Observation date: Jul 27, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 27, 2024
Observation date: Jul 05, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jul 27, 2024
Observation date: Jul 25, 2024
Submitted by: speele
Region: Pickens County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 27, 2024
Observation date: Jun 26, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jul 26, 2024
Observation date: Jun 18, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jul 26, 2024
Observation date: Jul 21, 2024
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 21, 2024
Observation date: Jul 20, 2024
Submitted by: cmilledge3
Region: Allen County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 21, 2024
Observation date: Jul 14, 2024
Submitted by: 1981lionelgp@ g...
Region: Jefferson County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 15, 2024
Observation date: Jul 12, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 12, 2024
Observation date: Jul 11, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 11, 2024
Observation date: May 28, 2024
Submitted by: hsmarshall
Region: Humphreys County, Mississippi, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 02, 2024
Observation date: Jun 24, 2024
Submitted by: Benjamin Miller
Region: Knox County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 29, 2024
Observation date: Jun 13, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jun 29, 2024
Observation date: Jun 18, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jun 19, 2024
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