Orange Sulphur Butterfly

July 21, 2011. Like a kid in a candy shop, our Colias philodice joyfully sips nectar just minutes after the ‘chow’s on!’ signal rang. I arrived here at the Phipps Conservatory’s Outdoor Gardens at 8:20 A.M. to photograph. There weren’t any butterflies at the nectar-pumping blooms, yet. Hundreds of thousands of nectar bearing flowers were waiting for their butterfly pollinators to arrive. Then some 45 minted later, there they came, butterflies of several species, single-mindedly going for nectar! After 15 minutes of heavy action: Poof! gone, no butterflies. A 15 minutes pause and once again in flew the squadrons of butterflies. Has this been examined?

Orange sulphurs in the U.S. northeast can be seen flying during as many as 10 months of the year, March to November. One brood produces the next, and so on. This butterfly (male? female?) surely enjoyed its flight. After 2 or 3 weeks if they still are active, they are faded and their wings show much physical stress with a heavy loss of scale.

How does the species get through the rough winters of northeastern states? They overwinter in pupae form.

Much to consider about a butterfly that is here and then gone in seconds.

Jeff