Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2013 - 14

C Winged Sunshine
Nancy Henderson

Creature
Feature

sulpHur butterFlies brigHteN summer days tHrougHout

Sunny Side up. Delicate but abundant in the Blue Ridge region in
spring and summer, sulphur butterflies are usually lemon yellow in
color, and sometimes orange or
pinkish, with medium-sized wings
rimmed in black. As is often the case
in the animal kingdom, the palerhued females aren’t quite as showy.
in For a Landing. Sulphurs are
commonly spotted sipping nectar in
flower gardens, resting at roadsides,
or flitting over lawns, open meadows, park grounds, stream banks
and fields of alfalfa and clover. They
are among the most easily recognized butterflies in the Southeast.
FLight pattern. Despite its fragility, the sulphur is a powerful pilot,
flying close to the ground at high
speed. Before settling in one spot to
roost, this fluttery creature will fly
erratically around a tree or shrub (it
may look confused, but this is just
part of the process) then typically
select a yellow or reddish leaf as a
landing spot.
garden Variety. Adult sulphurs
drink sugary, high-energy nectar
from many different types of plants,
including clover, milkweed, goldenrod, asters, dandelions, thistles, verbenas and sunflowers.
noSe For nectar. Equipped
with relatively long tongues, these
insects can reach deep into tubular
flowers most other butterflies can’t
access.
open armS. The male woos the
female by making contact with her
wings, which she alternately flicks
open and closed to signal that she’s
receptive to his advances.
Lean and green. Sulphur caterpillars are slender and just as colorful as their winged counterparts but
camouflaged well among leaves;
14 | BlueRidgeCountry.com

courtesy istockphoto.com

tHe mouNtaiN regioN.

they are bright green, streaked with
black dots bordering light-colored
lines, and covered with short, fine
hairs. During this stage of their
growth, the insects build tents in
host plants – generally senna,
alfalfa, clover or another legume –
and spend most of their time
eating.
hanging out. When it’s ready,
the caterpillar spins tiny silk threads,
attaches itself to its chosen surface,
and forms a chrysalis with pointed
ends and a hump in the middle. This
temporary, leaf-shaped home is usually yellow or green with pink or
green streaks. Close inspection often
reveals the veined wings of the butterfly developing inside.
Southbound. Most sulphurs
from the Blue Ridge states migrate in
winter. On fall days, butterfly watchers driving in open country are apt to
spot the bright yellow beauties
crossing the road from north to
south. 

FLying FactoidS

even their names Sound Light
Common species of sulphurs in the Blue Ridge
region include:
Clouded
Cloudless
Dainty
Orange
Sleepy Orange

What about buckWheat?
Before it turns into an “alfalfa butterfly,” the
orange sulphur caterpillar feeds at night on
alfalfa crops, sometimes creating a serious
problem for farmers.

puddle power
Some sulphur species congregate near muddy
water and soak up the moisture in a phenomenon known as “puddling.”

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Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2013

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