Alabama Butterfly Atlas

Butterfly: Wingspan: 1¼ - 2 inches (3.5 - 5.1 cm).  Both sexes have bright lemon-yellow wings with black borders on the upper surface.  Males have a solid black border while females have a wider border that is peppered with a row of yellow spots.  There is a black spot on the upper center of the forewing of both sexes.  The hindwing’s underside is yellow or greenish yellow with a double red-rimmed silver spot in the center.  Some females are white (alba) instead of yellow.  In the field, these females are virtually impossible to distinguish from white-form Orange Sulphur females.

ID Tip:  Clear lemon yellow with no hint of gold or orange.  Upper surfaces are often difficult to see because these butterflies almost never sit with open wings.  However, it is important to verify, even though the butterfly may be in flight, that no orange occurs on dorsal surfaces.

Egg: Spindle-shaped.  White when laid; turns orange/red.

Caterpillar: Caterpillars are grass green with a multicolored stripe along the lower edges of the body.  The upper stripe is white; followed by red/pink; white; and finally black.  Orange Sulphur caterpillars are so similar that they cannot be reliably separated in the field.

Chrysalis: The chrysalis is green with yellow and black dashes. The overwintering stage.