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 5275 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/rscn6650.jpg?itok=30KndJcf)
Observation date: Aug 01, 2023
Submitted by: Lawry Sager
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 03, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/rscn6596.jpg?itok=DTYGUBQf)
Observation date: Jul 21, 2023
Submitted by: Lawry Sager
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 03, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/sleepy_orange_maki_wl.jpg?itok=aCiyoekq)
Observation date: Jul 23, 2023
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Yavapai County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Aug 01, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/sleepy_orange_july_11_2023_fresh_release.jpg?itok=5vAWgCdd)
Observation date: Jul 11, 2023
Submitted by: COA1955
Region: Morgan County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 24, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/sleepy_orange_6_21_2023.jpg?itok=JRsrXySv)
Observation date: Jun 21, 2023
Submitted by: COA1955
Region: Morgan County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 24, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/sleepy_orange_and_bindweed.jpg?itok=kOB9IKKQ)
Observation date: May 06, 2023
Submitted by: COA1955
Region: Morgan County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 24, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/slpy1_cr.jpg?itok=xB8zJ-Pf)
Observation date: Jul 12, 2023
Submitted by: jwilkinson
Region: Currituck County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 23, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/orange_or_sleepy_orange_sulfur.jpg?itok=bofRWqJm)
Observation date: Jun 29, 2023
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 22, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/sleepy_orange_7-20-23.jpg?itok=ft6wc55i)
Observation date: Jul 20, 2023
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 22, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn4796_2.jpg?itok=HaREzGyV)
Observation date: Jul 19, 2023
Submitted by: aturney
Region: Texas, Polk County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 19, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/sleepy_orange_7.7.23.jpg?itok=3sZ2wkdE)
Observation date: Jul 07, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 08, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/sleepy_orange_ovipositing.jpg?itok=WmNtKPH5)
Observation date: Jul 03, 2023
Submitted by: Tatiana Staats
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 05, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_1698.jpg?itok=A6dM6ikP)
Observation date: Jun 25, 2023
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 30, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_7025_3.jpg?itok=7s31y6eo)
Observation date: Apr 11, 2023
Submitted by: Keith Barnes
Region: Texas, McMullen County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 27, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0508.jpeg?itok=6mpJuyTd)
Observation date: Jun 03, 2023
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 23, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0526.jpeg?itok=_KsNbI7f)
Observation date: Jun 03, 2023
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 23, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_9370.jpeg?itok=a7jaMvGA)
Observation date: Oct 22, 2022
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: El Salvador
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 16, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscf1579.jpeg?itok=9-AGXlaN)
Observation date: Jun 05, 2023
Submitted by: robtluke@aol.com
Region: Chaves County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_9621_4.jpg?itok=QfWS0VT4)
Observation date: Jun 04, 2023
Submitted by: asombro_institute
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn8248crop.jpg?itok=O13fwpHV)
Observation date: Jun 02, 2023
Submitted by: J Tinsman
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 08, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/021a0862.jpg?itok=L8tfE8Jx)
Observation date: Apr 14, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: May 29, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/115_sleepy_orange.jpg?itok=k3Cl_fjn)
Observation date: Aug 27, 2007
Submitted by: Russ Wigh
Region: Chatham County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: May 27, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/sleepy_orange_abaeis_nicippe.jpg?itok=HWPJxOFx)
Observation date: May 24, 2023
Submitted by: kowen
Region: Hays County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 27, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/c74e0f7a-2268-4c88-9be6-2328a52abf0b_1_201_a.jpeg?itok=wcwOPORd)
Observation date: May 16, 2023
Submitted by: plawryniuk
Region: Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: May 22, 2023
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