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 49 - 72 of 5310 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 30, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: May 02, 2024
Observation date: Apr 06, 2024
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Scott County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Apr 24, 2024
Observation date: Jan 17, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Baja California Sur, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Apr 12, 2024
Observation date: Jan 16, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Baja California Sur, Mexico
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 10, 2024
Observation date: Feb 25, 2024
Submitted by: natureali
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 28, 2024
Observation date: Feb 24, 2024
Submitted by: Rob Williams
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 25, 2024
Observation date: Jan 25, 2024
Submitted by: polylepis
Region: Galveston County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 29, 2024
Observation date: Oct 03, 2023
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jan 25, 2024
Observation date: Dec 30, 2023
Submitted by: tjunderwood
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Jan 18, 2024
Observation date: Feb 27, 2023
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 01, 2024
Observation date: Nov 29, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 29, 2023
Observation date: Nov 29, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 29, 2023
Observation date: Nov 25, 2023
Submitted by: Erik Stabl
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 27, 2023
Observation date: Nov 24, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 26, 2023
Observation date: Nov 12, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 17, 2023
Observation date: Jun 17, 2023
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Nov 02, 2023
Observation date: Sep 30, 2023
Submitted by: kimmyrn
Region: Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Oct 16, 2023
Observation date: Sep 12, 2023
Submitted by: camflies
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 16, 2023
Observation date: Oct 03, 2023
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 12, 2023
Observation date: Oct 02, 2023
Submitted by: Dobber31
Region: Benton County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 03, 2023
Observation date: Oct 01, 2023
Submitted by: kye
Region: Greenville County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 02, 2023
Observation date: Sep 28, 2023
Submitted by: Barjones78
Region: Benton County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 28, 2023
Observation date: Sep 16, 2023
Submitted by: Cameala
Region: Juniata County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 18, 2023
Observation date: Sep 10, 2023
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Harper County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 10, 2023
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