Butterflies of North Carolina:
their Distribution and Abundance
Common Name: Scientific Name:
Common Name begins with:
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Scientific Name begins with:
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Number of records: 249,613
Related Species in PIERIDAE:
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Common NameOrange-barred Sulphur by Jeff Pippen => Hidalgo Co., TX 13 Oct 2004
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Scientific NamePhoebis philea
Link to BAMONA species account.
MapClick on a county for list of all database records for the species in that county.
Flight Chart
Common NameOrange-barred Sulphur
Scientific NamePhoebis philea
DistributionDISTRIBUTION: An accidental migrant only; recorded only in NC from one Mountain county (Watauga) and one along the coast (New Hanover). Resident in some Gulf Coast states, but primarily in FL.
AbundanceABUNDANCE: Accidental; just two state records.
FlightFLIGHT PERIOD: The NC records are for September 2 and October 21.
HabitatHABITAT: Presumably open country such as fields, gardens, etc.
PlantsFOOD AND NECTAR PLANTS: Sennas (Senna spp.) are foodplants. Nectar plants are not known for NC.
CommentsCOMMENTS: This species is noticeably larger than the Cloudless Sulphur, but the orange color on the wings might be difficult to spot unless the butterflies are perched. SC had its first state records in 1999. A female seen in Sumter in the summer laid eggs, and Evelyn Dabbs photographed all four stages of the life cycle, including adults of the next brood! Dennis Forsythe observed a female in Charleston County on October 18. Brimley (1938) gives the first state record as being a specimen taken at Grandfather Mountain, at 4000 feet, on September 2, 1937. Oddly, this would seem to be about the last place a tropical butterfly species would be found in the state! Finally, a more "typical" report came in 2009, when Derb Carter observed a male in flight and perched at a golf course, along the coast at Wilmington, on October 21.
State Status (first) and Rank (second)none - SA
Federal Status (first) and Global Rank (second)none - G5
Synonym
Other Name
Links to other butterfly galleries: [Cook] [Lynch] [Pippen] [Pugh]
Photo by: Rick Cheicante
Comment: 2012-07-27. Monroe Co. FL male
Orange-barred Sulphur - Click to enlarge 		Photo by: Rick Cheicante
Comment: 2012-07-27. Monroe Co. FL male
Orange-barred Sulphur - Click to enlarge
Photo by: Doug Allen
Comment: Florida
Orange-barred Sulphur - Click to enlarge