Caterpillar foods: Alfalfa and other plants in the Pea family (Fabaceae)

Orange Sulphurs are very similar to Clouded Sulphurs, but they’re not as common.  The tops of the wings are more orange than Clouded Sulphurs, but since the tops of their wings aren’t usually visible unless they’re flying, it’s hard to get a photo of them.  Females can be either orange and yellow, like the males, or greenish white.  (White females look the same as white Clouded Sulphur females.)

This is the only photo I’ve ever gotten of one that I’m sure was an Orange Sulphur. 9/20/2007

I just found this photo – Mike took it on January 28, 2002.  I wonder what an Orange Sulphur was doing flying around in January.  They overwinter as chrysalises – maybe there was a spell of warm weather and it hatched too soon.  This shows the wide black and yellow bands on the female’s upper forewings.