Dainty Sulphur (Nathalis iole)

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Photo by CindyBinghamKeiser

Published on Project Noah

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33.0184, -117.011

Field Notes

Description:

This little butterfly had about a 3 cm wingspan. "This is North America's smallest sulphur. Small, with elongated forewings. Upperside yellow with black markings, female with more extensive black than male. White form very rare. Underside of forewing with orange or yellow patch at base of wing and black spots at outer wing edge. Winter form has dusty green hindwing, summer form hindwing is pale yellow."

Habitat:

Riparian scrub on unknown plant. "Resident in Guatemala north to peninsular Florida and the Southwest. Cannot survive cold winters, therefore every summer re-colonizes through the Great Plains to southeast Washington, southeast Idaho, Wyoming, and Minnesota."