Cloudless Sulphur
Male - August 2024
The Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae) is a stunning greenish-yellow large butterfly with small white circles or ovals on the hindwing (in some individuals on forewing as well) surrounded by a bit of brownish orange, and brown markings similar to those you’d make with paint dabs using a sponge. Another really cool feature is that their eyes are half brown and half green!!
Male - August 2024
This species is highly variable though generally more sparsely marked individuals are males and more generously marked individuals are females. These butterflies occur mostly in August and September, and are most abundant around fields of their host plants Partridge Pea or Wild Senna. They are not residents in New Jersey and can vary greatly in number from year to year. Sometimes a single flyby is all you get for the year, and other times they are all over the place!!
Male - August 2024
Cloudless Sulphurs represent my high single-species count for one day at 305!! There were a few days I visited this location where they were absolutely everywhere I looked. It was really cool to see them actively feeding on this flower patch. The bold greenish color really stood out among the purplish-pink blooms!!
Female - August 2021
