
Community identification
Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice
- Order & Family
- Order: Lepidoptera, Family: Pieridae
- Size
- 3.8 to 7 cm (approx. 1.5 to 2.75 inches)
Natural Habitat
Open areas including fields, lawns, meadows, gardens, and roadsides throughout North America.
Diet & Feeding
Adults feed on flower nectar from various plants including dandelion and milkweed; larvae feed on legumes like clover, vetch, and alfalfa.
Behavior Patterns
Active from spring to late fall; males engage in 'puddling' at damp soil to obtain minerals. They have multiple generations per year and overwinter as caterpillars.
Risks & Benefits
Benefits the ecosystem as an important pollinator; larvae can sometimes be minor agricultural pests in alfalfa fields, but they pose no risk to humans.