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 25 - 48 of 5895 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 25, 2023
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 11, 2023
Observation date: Nov 09, 2023
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Nov 09, 2023
Observation date: Nov 07, 2023
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Nov 08, 2023
Observation date: Oct 11, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 06, 2023
Observation date: Sep 19, 2023
Submitted by: Gordon Berman
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 17, 2023
Observation date: Sep 23, 2016
Submitted by: Marc Gottlieb
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 17, 2023
Observation date: Oct 15, 2023
Submitted by: Janet Ruth
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 17, 2023
Observation date: Aug 13, 2023
Submitted by: rajanrao
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 15, 2023
Observation date: Oct 13, 2023
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Oct 13, 2023
Observation date: Oct 13, 2023
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Oct 13, 2023
Observation date: Oct 07, 2023
Submitted by: Joceb2005
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 07, 2023
Observation date: Oct 07, 2023
Submitted by: Mlinden
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Oct 07, 2023
Observation date: Oct 03, 2023
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 05, 2023
Observation date: Oct 03, 2023
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 04, 2023
Observation date: Oct 01, 2023
Submitted by: Jenmiller81
Region: Shelby County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 03, 2023
Observation date: Oct 02, 2023
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
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: May 10, 2020
Submitted by: loyallonghorn
Region: Fort Bend County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 22, 2023
Observation date: May 09, 2020
Submitted by: loyallonghorn
Region: Fort Bend County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 22, 2023
Observation date: Sep 20, 2023
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 20, 2023
Observation date: Sep 10, 2023
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Sep 11, 2023
Observation date: Sep 09, 2023
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 10, 2023
Observation date: Sep 08, 2023
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 08, 2023
Observation date: Sep 04, 2023
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 06, 2023
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