Dainty Sulphur
Nathalis iole Boisduval, 1836
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Coliadinae
Identification: Small, with elongated forewings. Upperside yellow with black markings, female with more extensive black than male. White form very rare. Underside of forewing with orange or yellow patch at base of wing and black spots at outer wing edge. Winter form has dusty green hindwing, summer form hindwing is pale yellow.
Wing Span: 3/4 - 1 1/4 inches (2 - 3.2 cm).
Life History: Males patrol a few inches above the ground in low areas for females. Females lay eggs singly on leaves of host plant seedlings. Adults rest with wings closed and held perpendicular to the sun's rays to warm themselves.
Flight: Throughout the year in peninsular Florida and South Texas. After overwintering as adults in the South, some migrate north in spring and summer. Flight of about 6 months in the north.
Caterpillar Hosts: Low-growing plants in the aster family (Asteraceae) especially shepherd's needle (Bidens pilosa), sneezeweed (Helenium), fetid marigold (Dyssodia), and cultivated marigold (Tagetes).
Adult Food: Nectars at Labrador tea, asters, wild marigold, rabbitbrush, and others.
Habitat: Open, dry places including coastal flats, weedy fields, grasslands, road edges, meadows, and hillsides.
Range: Resident in Guatemala north to peninsular Florida and the Southwest. Cannot survive cold winters, therefore every summer re-colonizes through the Great Plains to southeast Washington, southeast Idaho, Wyoming, and Minnesota.
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 25 - 48 of 2227 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 18, 2023
Submitted by: bekkfree
Region: Cowley County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 19, 2024
Observation date: May 03, 2024
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Texas, Runnels County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 12, 2024
Observation date: May 03, 2024
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Texas, Runnels County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 12, 2024
Observation date: May 09, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 10, 2024
Observation date: May 09, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 10, 2024
Observation date: May 07, 2024
Submitted by: Erik Stabl
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 08, 2024
Observation date: Apr 06, 2024
Submitted by: rkw9000
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 05, 2024
Observation date: Apr 19, 2024
Submitted by: Jen Sugars
Region: Bell County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 23, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 23, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 23, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 23, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 25, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 15, 2024
Submitted by: jthompson6112
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 24, 2024
Observation date: Apr 12, 2024
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Grundy County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Apr 16, 2024
Observation date: Apr 12, 2024
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Apr 15, 2024
Observation date: Oct 04, 2022
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Apr 01, 2024
Observation date: Oct 06, 2023
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Eddy County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 19, 2024
Observation date: Feb 15, 2024
Submitted by: Joceb2005
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 16, 2024
Observation date: Feb 09, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 10, 2024
Observation date: May 29, 2023
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 08, 2024
Observation date: May 27, 2023
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 01, 2024
Observation date: Feb 01, 2024
Submitted by: Joceb2005
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 01, 2024
Observation date: Nov 15, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Baja California Sur, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Dec 12, 2023
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