• Butterflies
• Dragonflies
• Damselflies
• Tiger beetles
• Hike with Mike

• The butterflies:
• Whites and Sulphurs
  • Whites
  • Sulphurs
• Sulphurs
  • Clouded Sulphur
  • Orange Sulphur
  • Pink-edged Sulphur
  • Southern Dogface
  • Cloudless Sulphur
  • Orange-barred Sulphur
  • Large Orange Sulphur
  • Mexican Yellow
  • Little Yellow
  • Sleepy Orange
  • Dainty Sulphur

Orange Sulphur

(Colias eurytheme)

The Orange Sulphur is very common butterfly in Wisconsin. It can be found in early spring until late fall. Like the Clouded Sulphur, the Orange Sulphur seems to peak in numbers in August. Here in central Wisconsin, it is not as common as the Clouded Sulphurs, but almost always can be found in the same fields with that species. It was very difficult getting a photo that clearly shows the orange on the upper wings. After 5 years of trying, I finally found one that was so dark orange on top that it was very evident from below (top photo). On August 26, 2005 I was following a female and trying to get a photo of the upper wings when a male flew in and started courting her. Both of them were flapping their wings and I was able to take this photo that clearly shows the upper wings. Notice that the male was much smaller and also had little orange on the wing.

Identifying characteristics: Above the wings are yellow with various amounts of orange scaling, with black marginal borders. The orange is very evident in flight. The males have a solid black border while the females have yellow spots in the border. Below the wings are a yellowish/orange color with a faint row of small black marginal spots, and a double central spot. Some females of this species and the Clouded Sulphur are white instead of yellow.

Similar species: White females of this species and the Clouded Sulphur are nearly impossible to separate into species in the field. To confuse things even more these two species do hybridize. Below the Orange and Clouded Sulphurs are very similar, but orange on the top of the wing of the Orange Sulphur is very evident in flight, especially summer individuals which seem to have more orange. Pink-edged Sulphurs could also be confused with this species. Below, the Pink-edged Sulphurs lack the faint row of black marginal spots and have just a single central spot.

Recent Orange Sulphur Sightings

Date seen	County	Reported by
07–08–2008	Waushara	Mike Reese

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