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 1 - 24 of 5933 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/ad_2024-09-02_4549-2.jpg?itok=aYGLyBXo)
Observation date: Sep 02, 2024
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Sep 03, 2024
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Observation date: Aug 31, 2024
Submitted by: ebea
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 01, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/46710608_unknown.jpeg?itok=dTCZfyWc)
Observation date: Aug 25, 2024
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 30, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/_mg_5058.jpeg?itok=Afszi3dl)
Observation date: Aug 27, 2024
Submitted by: Lydiaak
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 29, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_6802_0.jpeg?itok=O3PbXe_U)
Observation date: Aug 28, 2024
Submitted by: GLG
Region: Walton County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 28, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/pxl_20240824_140132031.jpg?itok=Kc0SnOxr)
Observation date: Aug 24, 2024
Submitted by: ButtahflyEtn37354
Region: Monroe County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 28, 2024
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Observation date: Aug 17, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Aug 26, 2024
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Observation date: Aug 24, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 24, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/cloudless_sulfur_dsc04083.jpg?itok=oodYVwRe)
Observation date: Aug 19, 2024
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 21, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_1815_2.jpeg?itok=q612thMK)
Observation date: Aug 10, 2024
Submitted by: Eddie Wyatt
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 19, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_4174.jpeg?itok=f6duntS5)
Observation date: Aug 14, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Dare County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 15, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/2013-07-23_0066.jpg?itok=xUoyd7fr)
Observation date: Jul 23, 2013
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 14, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20240814_170356.jpg?itok=6WOajq2i)
Observation date: Aug 14, 2024
Submitted by: rjgrycki
Region: Burke County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 14, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_9401_0.jpeg?itok=xuRQX-EI)
Observation date: Aug 12, 2024
Submitted by: Leo York
Region: Anderson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 12, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_2544_0.jpeg?itok=Ssit-BRy)
Observation date: Aug 12, 2024
Submitted by: Elfin
Region: Sussex County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 12, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/3_76.jpg?itok=x5U-O4yL)
Observation date: Aug 09, 2024
Submitted by: alise771
Region: Polk County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 10, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/ad_2024-08-09_2362-2.jpg?itok=7iiaZzjp)
Observation date: Aug 09, 2024
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Richland County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 10, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_9502_5.jpg?itok=LqyA4FSr)
Observation date: Aug 08, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 09, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/46702528_unknown.jpeg?itok=31wp5N_U)
Observation date: Aug 05, 2024
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 08, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_4098.jpg?itok=yvHjM61D)
Observation date: Aug 06, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 06, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_4101.jpg?itok=jUsuzayo)
Observation date: Aug 06, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 06, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20c9624a-595c-488b-8b1c-b5b62b869653.jpeg?itok=bJOH8x2r)
Observation date: Aug 06, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 06, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_7503-a.jpg?itok=OhNpn7In)
Observation date: Jul 27, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Aug 01, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_8944_3.jpg?itok=F4wgnr6J)
Observation date: Jul 27, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 27, 2024
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