Species › Insects & Arthropods › Orange Sulphur

Orange Sulphur

Colias eurytheme

CommonInsect & Arthropod
Illustration of Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)

The Orange Sulphur, also called the Alfalfa Butterfly, is one of North America's most abundant butterflies, with males displaying vivid orange wings bordered in black. Females occur in both yellow and white forms, and adults often congregate in large numbers at moist soil or wet sand. Its success is partly due to the widespread cultivation of alfalfa, the primary larval host.

Habitat
Alfalfa fields, roadsides, meadows, and open areas
Diet
Larvae: alfalfa and other legumes. Adults: nectar
How common
Common

Best time to see a Orange Sulphur

The best time to see a Orange Sulphur is March–August, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 50,388 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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