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Apricot Sulphur (Phoebis argante [Fabricius])
Wing span: 2 1/8 - 2 5/8 inches (5.4 - 6.7 cm).
Identification: Upperside of male bright orange with black border on forewing. Females variable from white to yellow, with dark or faded black borders. Underside hindwing of both sexes with broken, angled submarginal line.
Life history: Eggs are laid singly on new leaves of host, with many eggs placed on each plant.
Flight: All year in Central and South America. Strays to Texas from June-October.
Caterpillar hosts: Shrubs and trees in the pea family (Fabaceae) including Cassia, Pentaclethra, and Inga species.
Adult food: Nectar from a variety of red flowers.
Habitat: Disturbed areas in tropical forests: clearings, gardens, pastures, road edges.
Range: Paraguay north to Mexico. Reported very rarely (twice) in southern Texas and western Kansas.
Conservation: Not required for rare stray.
Management needs: None reported.
The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
References:
DeVries, P. J. 1987. The butterflies of Costa Rica and their natural
history. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. 327
pages, 50 color plates.
Opler, P. A. and V. Malikul. 1992. A field guide to eastern butterflies.
Peterson field guide #4. Houghton-Mifflin Co., Boston. 396 pages,
48 color plates.
Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford University
Press, Stanford, Calif. 583 pages, 64 color plates.
Author: Jane M. Struttmann
State and Regional References:
Ely, C., Schwilling, M.D., and M.E. Rolfs. 1986. An Annotated List of the
Butterflies of Kansas. Fort Hays Studies (Science) 7, Fort Hays State
University, Fort Hays, Kans.
Opler, Paul A. 1999. Peterson Field Guide to Western Butterflies, revised
edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.
Stanford, R.E. and P.A. Opler. 1993. Atlas of Western USA Butterflies.
Privately published, Denver, Colo.
Tilden, J.W. and A.C. Smith. 1986. A Field Guide to Western Butterflies.
Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.
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 1999 -
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