Butterflies

Butterfly and Moth Image Gallery : Butterflies

Phoebis sennae (male) (Cloudless Sulphur)

The Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly species has yellow wings. The wings of the male (shown here) have a lemon yellow upperside and an underside with faint spots. The female's wings have black spots on the edges, more spots on the underside, and is a paler yellow. The wingspan is from 2.5 to 3 inches.

This species lives in open areas such as meadows, pastures, prairies, and gardens. It is a southern species that summers in Illinois, sometimes in the southern part of the state, sometimes further north. The host for the larvae is the legume family, such as Cassia species. Adults feed on flower nectar. They fly south in the winter because they cannot survive cold temperatures.

Collection of the Illinois State Museum
Photographed by Dr. Everett Cashatt
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Butterfly and Moth Image Gallery : Butterflies

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