The cloudless sulphur (or Phoebis sennae) is a butterfly found in temperate open areas – grasslands, parks, gardens, watercourses and seashores – of North, Central and South America. It has yellow wings with brown and/or black spots and borders. Females tend to be less vibrant than males and have yellow spots along the dark wing borders. The cloudless sulphur has a wingspan of 5.5cm to 7.8cm. Caterpillars of the cloudless sulphur are bright yellow or green with a yellow stripe and blue spots along each side.
Latin Name
Phoebis sennae
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cloudless-sulphur
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Animal Facts
The cloudless sulphur is a migratory butterfly, with populations from the USA often travelling to Mexico or the Caribbean to overwinter.
When migrating, the cloudless sulphur can travel 20km a day.
The cloudless sulphur is often observed feeding from mud; it is thought that this may be a source of salt for the butterfly.
The chrysalis of the cloudless sulphur looks like a leaf, and the pupa inside will wriggle when touched to scare off predators.
The egg of the cloudless sulphur is pure white when first laid, but becomes yellow-orange as it approaches hatching time.
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