Clouded Sulphur

My spouse and I saw this butterfly on several occasions when we still lived in Orange County, CA.

We got several great photos of them in particular at the Environmental Nature Center. For anyone interested, here is a link to their website:

http://encenter.org/

The Clouded Sulphur and the closely related Orange Sulphur are said to be the most abundant native butterflies in Ohio.

We see them from springtime to fall in our sunny front yard nectaring on phlox, liatris, golden rods and milkweeds, and in the meadows of the nearby park, where there are red and white clovers and alfalfa, their favorite host plants.

Wing span: 1 1/2 - 2 3/4 inches (3.8 - 7 cm).

Identification: Upper surface of male wings bright, clear yellow with solid black edging; lower side of forewing with some dark submarginal spots; hindwing with silver cell spot rimmed with orange-pink, usually doubled. Female has 2 forms: yellow form with uneven black edging enclosing yellow spots, and a white form which is greenish-white rather than yellow. Spring and fall forms are smaller and less conspicuously marked.

Life history: Eggs laid singly on host; caterpillars eat leaves. Hibernation is by third-stage caterpillars.

Flight: Three flights in the north from May-October, 4-5 in the south from March-November.

Caterpillar hosts: Plants in the pea family (Fabaceae) including al... read morefalfa (Medicago sativa), white clover (Trifolium repens), and pea (Pisum sativum).

Adult food: Flower nectar of many plants.

Habitat: Many different open areas including fields, lawns, alfalfa and clover fields, road edges, meadows.

Range: Alaska south through central and southeast Canada, all of conterminous United states except much of California, south Texas, and most of Florida.