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Monarch Butterfly
Sleepy Orange Butterfly     Photos © Kim Hosen, Merrimac Farm Wildlife Management Area, Nokesville, VA; Sept. 2009

Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe
1 3/8-2 1/4 inches

A sulphur with bright orange and black markings, with a distinguishing black spot on the forewing.

The underside shows a background which varies seasonally from bright greenish-yellow in summer to a duller brown in winter.

The host plants for this species are members of the pea family.

This species has a wide range, and may be found in a variety of habitats. Look for Sleepy Orange butterflies in fields and roadsides, woodlands and stream edges.

Like many similar species, Sleepy Oranges may be found congregating around mud puddles and damp areas.