Pieridae : Coliadinae
Phoebis argante (Butler, 1869)
Apricot Sulphur
Phoebis argante (Butler, 1869)
Apricot Sulphur
Description and Similar Species: Wingspan 64-80mm. Sexually dimorphic. Males are plain yellowish orange above with small black dots around the edge of both wings. Females are largely reddish orange on the upper hindwing and forewing yellow blotched with dark brown. Female underside is darker than males with bolder reddish blotching and larger white eyespots. The main confusion species is the similar-sized Large Orange Sulphur Phoebis agarithe though that is yellow rather than orange. The other two Phoebis species - P. philea and P. avellaneda - are both considerably larger.
Range: Southern USA to South America and the Greater Antilles.
Status: Uncommon in Cuba mostly found in wooded hills though we also saw it daily at Guanahacabibes, Pinar del Rio, in June 2015.
Nectar Plants: Tournefortia, Lantana and many other plants, and also on damp ground.
Larval Foodplants: Several species of Cassia and Trifolium (Hernández).
Range: Southern USA to South America and the Greater Antilles.
Status: Uncommon in Cuba mostly found in wooded hills though we also saw it daily at Guanahacabibes, Pinar del Rio, in June 2015.
Nectar Plants: Tournefortia, Lantana and many other plants, and also on damp ground.
Larval Foodplants: Several species of Cassia and Trifolium (Hernández).