Clouded Sulphur Slides copy2 - University of South Florida · 2/24/2020 · Clouded Sulphur...
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Alabama Butterfly Atlas | alabama.butterflyatlas.org Clouded Sulphur Clouded Sulphurs are most likely to be found in the northern third of Alabama, flying spring, summer, and fall. They are not nearly as common as Orange Sulphurs, which they closely resemble, and correct identification is an issue. Clouded Sulphurs frequent almost any open, weedy habitat. They may also be found in sunny yards and gardens. Flight is low, and both sexes stop frequently to nectar from a variety of flowers. Freshly emerged males engage in puddling behavior • Clouded Sulphurs are seasonally and sexually dimorphic. • Individuals are variable, but wing color is either lemon yellow or primary yellow. There are no gold or orange hues in the dorsal and ventral wings. In order to make a positive identification, it is necessary to view enough of the dorsal wing surface to see that gold/orange does not occur. • Early spring and late fall individuals often have increased black scaling on ventral wings. They are also smaller than those of subsequent broods. Summer brood butterflies are bigger and brighter. • Males are slightly smaller than females and have solid black wing borders. Female wing borders are somewhat wider and contain a row of yellow spots. • By late summer, white (“alba”) females comprise approximately 20% of the population. Where Clouded and Orange Sulphurs fly together, it is impossible to ID these white females without DNA sequencing. • May be confused with Orange Sulphurs (see discussion below) and Southern Dogfaces. © Sara Bright
Transcript of Clouded Sulphur Slides copy2 - University of South Florida · 2/24/2020 · Clouded Sulphur...
Alabama Butterfly Atlas | alabama.butterflyatlas.org
Clouded SulphurClouded Sulphurs are most likely to be found in the northern third of Alabama, flying spring, summer, and fall. They are not nearly as common as Orange Sulphurs, which they closely resemble, and correct identification is an issue. Clouded Sulphurs frequent almost any open, weedy habitat. They may also be found in sunny yards and gardens. Flight is low, and both sexes stop frequently to nectar from a variety of flowers. Freshly emerged males engage in puddling behavior
• Clouded Sulphurs are seasonally and sexually dimorphic.
• Individuals are variable, but wing color is either lemon yellow or primary yellow. There are no gold or orange hues in the dorsal and ventral wings. In order to make a positive identification, it is necessary to view enough of the dorsal wing surface to see that gold/orange does not occur.
• Early spring and late fall individuals often have increased black scaling on ventral wings. They are also smaller than those of subsequent broods. Summer brood butterflies are bigger and brighter.
• Males are slightly smaller than females and have solid black wing borders. Female wing borders are somewhat wider and contain a row of yellow spots.
• By late summer, white (“alba”) females comprise approximately 20% of the population. Where Clouded and Orange Sulphurs fly together, it is impossible to ID these white females without DNA sequencing.
• May be confused with Orange Sulphurs (see discussion below) and Southern Dogfaces.
© Sara Bright
Alabama Butterfly Atlas | alabama.butterflyatlas.org
* Reliable diagnostic markers
Clouded Sulphur
© Sara Bright
Dorsal Male
Black spot on forewing
*Bright lemon-yellow wings with no orange wash
*Solid black borders
Orange spot
Pink wing fringe
Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice
Wingspan: 1⅜ to 2 inches (3.5-5.1 cm)
* Reliable diagnostic markers
Alabama Butterfly Atlas | alabama.butterflyatlas.org
* Reliable diagnostic markers
Clouded Sulphur
© Vitaly Charny
Ventral Male
Small black spot
Solid black dorsal border visible through wing
Yellow or golden-yellow wing color
Red-rimmed silver spot. Often accompanied by a satellite spot.
Small, dark spots of varying intensity
Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice
Wingspan: 1⅜ to 2 inches (3.5-5.1 cm)
Alabama Butterfly Atlas | alabama.butterflyatlas.org
* Reliable diagnostic markers
Clouded Sulphur
© Sara Bright
Ventral Female, White (“alba”) form
Small black spot
Off-white wing color
Solid black dorsal border visible through wing
Red-rimmed silver spot. Often accompanied by a satellite spot.
Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice
Wingspan: 1⅜ to 2 inches (3.5-5.1 cm)
Alabama Butterfly Atlas | alabama.butterflyatlas.org
Distinguishing between Orange and Clouded Sulphurs
Orange and Clouded Sulphurs share the same habitats, use the same host plants, fly at the same times of year, and have essentially the same markings. For field identification purposes, only their wing color separates them. In areas where Orange and Clouded Sulphurs fly or may fly together, determining correct ID is challenging.
• Orange Sulphurs are slightly larger than Clouded Sulphurs.
• In Alabama, Orange Sulphurs are more commonly encountered and tend to occur further south than Clouded Sulphurs.
• Orange Sulphurs have an orange wash on dorsal wings that Clouded Sulphurs lack—this is diagnostic. Some Orange Sulphurs also have orange coloration on ventral wings, but many do not. These solid yellow ventral surfaces cannot be distinguished from those of Clouded Sulphurs. A definitive identification cannot be made without a view of the dorsal wings. If there is any orange coloration, the butterfly should be considered an Orange Sulphur. If an open wing view is not possible, look for flashes of orange in flight.
• Both Orange Sulphurs and Clouded Sulphurs have white (“alba”) female forms that are common during the summer months. In areas where the 2 species fly together, these white females cannot be definitively ID’ed without DNA sequencing.
• In areas where Orange and Clouded Sulphurs fly together, hybrids may occur. If an orange wash occurs on the dorsal wings, these should be classified as Orange Sulphurs.
Alabama Butterfly Atlas | alabama.butterflyatlas.org
