Large Orange Sulphur

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The Large Orange Sulphur (Phoebis agarithe) is a neotropical species, and one of a few similar looking sulphur butterflies in the Phoegis genus found in the United States.

Both males and females are a bright yellow color, with shades of orange in the wings. The top picture shows quite a nice color contrast of a males sporting oranged shaded wings as he nectars on scarlet sage.

Males are usually have less markings on the wings than the females. The straight line of spots down the middle of the wing serves as the key field identification clue.

Compare the straight line of dark marks on a different Large Orange Sulphur male in the bottom picture, for example, with the crooked line of (pink) marks on the female Cloudless Sulphur, linked to in the box.

© 2008 Patricia A. Michaels