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Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe (Cramer, 1779)
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Coliadinae
Identification: Upperside of wings orange in both sexes; orange-yellow form rare. Forewing with small black cell spot. Male with sharply defined black borders on outer and costal margins; female borders not so well-defined. In winter form, underside of hindwing is brick red, brown, or tan; in summer form it is orange-yellow.
Wing Span: 1 3/8 - 2 1/4 inches (3.5 - 5.7 cm).
Life History: Males patrol flats and gullies for females. Females lay eggs singly under host plant leaves. Caterpillars eat leaves. Dry season form overwinters and lays eggs in spring.
Flight: Four-five flights, all year long, in southern Texas and Deep South. Mid- to late summer in the north.
Caterpillar Hosts: Cassia species in the pea family (Fabaceae).
Adult Food: Nectar from many species of flowers, including shepherd's needle (Bidens pilosa).
Habitat: Low elevation areas including pine flats, fields, desert scrub, gardens, vacant lots, road edges, and washes.
Range: Central America north to along the United States-Mexico border; vagrant to non-mountainous parts of the eastern U. S. south of 40 latitude; rare stray to Ontario, Connecticut, South Dakota, and Colorado.
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
Alternate Scientific Names:
Eurema nicippe
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 5275 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/_mg_9511.jpeg?itok=bOYFUGrc)
Observation date: Jun 25, 2024
Submitted by: Lydiaak
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 01, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20240618_121008.jpg?itok=OZmwJ4Ul)
Observation date: Jun 18, 2024
Submitted by: Christinalea
Region: Texas, Presidio County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 19, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/sleepyorangeawmaentryroad52024.jpg?itok=1QUDysBC)
Observation date: May 20, 2024
Submitted by: neflodonata
Region: Levy County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 27, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/sleepy_orange_abaeis_nicippe_0.jpg?itok=Rojb4ZPD)
Observation date: May 23, 2024
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 23, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/butterflies8sulfur.jpg?itok=6hsnbwxG)
Observation date: May 22, 2024
Submitted by: firedancefarms
Region: Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 23, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/f6edc82d-9fa9-48fd-9b17-fd2e134d27d2.jpeg?itok=jRdF2jFc)
Observation date: Aug 20, 2022
Submitted by: EddieGarrity
Region: Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_2893.jpeg?itok=NJGxdmLx)
Observation date: May 26, 2023
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: James City County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0442.png?itok=WOPumODI)
Observation date: Aug 11, 2023
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/sleepy_orange_28.jpg?itok=_5eVvKJ2)
Observation date: Sep 11, 2023
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/c360_20230912-170220-33.jpg?itok=Ktt0nzfw)
Observation date: Sep 12, 2023
Submitted by: bknupp
Region: Rockingham County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_20240521_143917888.jpg?itok=-JWcD9fr)
Observation date: May 21, 2024
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Harper County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 21, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/pxl_20240518_1504279652.jpg?itok=i7Sdm5_r)
Observation date: May 18, 2024
Submitted by: sasd
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 18, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/sleepy_orange_27.jpg?itok=paFsShwA)
Observation date: Apr 07, 2024
Submitted by: rkw9000
Region: Texas, Starr County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 15, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_6275-a.jpg?itok=sKDDB4OQ)
Observation date: Apr 30, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: May 02, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/sleepy_orange_view1.jpg?itok=4oVu81j9)
Observation date: Apr 06, 2024
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Scott County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Apr 24, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/abaeis_genus_1_yellow_or_sulfur.jpg?itok=xTEi0D2B)
Observation date: Jan 17, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Baja California Sur, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Apr 12, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/abaeis_nicippe_1_sleepy_orange_0.jpg?itok=sEUc-60c)
Observation date: Jan 16, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Baja California Sur, Mexico
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 10, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/2024_feb_25_ridgecrest_sewer_pond_kern_ams_0017.jpg?itok=YIx8pGuW)
Observation date: Feb 25, 2024
Submitted by: natureali
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 28, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/0-1_0.jpeg?itok=GK6buug0)
Observation date: Feb 24, 2024
Submitted by: Rob Williams
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 25, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc01574-enhanced-nr.jpg?itok=czqWzuVu)
Observation date: Jan 25, 2024
Submitted by: polylepis
Region: Galveston County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 29, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_0828.jpeg?itok=cRUjp_mK)
Observation date: Oct 03, 2023
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jan 25, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/sleepy_orange1_30_dec_2023_arizona-desert_museum.jpg?itok=-1rrTm-n)
Observation date: Dec 30, 2023
Submitted by: tjunderwood
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Jan 18, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/_bf17369.jpg?itok=6fjICDyW)
Observation date: Feb 27, 2023
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 01, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_5157_4.jpg?itok=9M02TNTd)
Observation date: Nov 29, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 29, 2023
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