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 5974 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 06, 2019
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 19, 2024
Observation date: Oct 07, 2022
Submitted by: kbg
Region: District of Columbia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 17, 2024
Observation date: Aug 03, 2024
Submitted by: pk
Region: Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 17, 2024
Observation date: Aug 24, 2024
Submitted by: Jgrugeon
Region: Cape May County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 14, 2024
Observation date: Aug 17, 2023
Submitted by: zebrafinch19
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 14, 2024
Observation date: Nov 01, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Nov 13, 2024
Observation date: Jul 30, 2024
Submitted by: jmacmetro
Region: Bergen County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 11, 2024
Observation date: Nov 07, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Nov 07, 2024
Observation date: Nov 01, 2024
Submitted by: marilynne
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 06, 2024
Observation date: Nov 06, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Nov 06, 2024
Observation date: Oct 18, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Nov 03, 2024
Observation date: Oct 28, 2024
Submitted by: tjay13
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 02, 2024
Observation date: Sep 04, 2024
Submitted by: Karen Adams
Region: Delaware County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 26, 2024
Observation date: Oct 20, 2024
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 23, 2024
Observation date: Oct 20, 2024
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 21, 2024
Observation date: Oct 18, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Oct 19, 2024
Observation date: Sep 18, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Oct 19, 2024
Observation date: Sep 18, 2024
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 17, 2024
Observation date: Oct 11, 2024
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 15, 2024
Observation date: Oct 13, 2024
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Richland County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 14, 2024
Observation date: Oct 04, 2024
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 10, 2024
Observation date: Sep 02, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 09, 2024
Observation date: Sep 03, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 09, 2024
Observation date: Oct 03, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 09, 2024
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