Please wait while the next page arrives.
Mila'sExotic Plants & CuriositiesA living collection by Luminary OdditiesLuminary Oddities · Natural history & art
Phoebis philea
Lepidoptera / Pieridae
Phoebis philea is a large yellow sulphur whose males carry an orange forewing bar and orange hindwing edging. Females vary from golden yellow to creamy white, while caterpillar coloration changes with the part of the host plant eaten.
Read the species account
Phoebis philea is a pierid butterfly in the sulphur subfamily Coliadinae. Orange-barred Sulphur is its established English name. [1]
Males are bright yellow above, with an orange forewing bar and orange hindwing edges. Females occur in golden-yellow and creamy-white forms with different dark marginal markings. The underside is yellow to orange-yellow, with small spots or fine mottling. The Alabama atlas gives a span of 70–86 mm. [2]
Adults are powerful fliers and readily visit parks, gardens and other open habitats near sennas. [4]
Keep the enclosure closed and display it in indirect light, away from heat and damp conditions. Handle the frame by its edges and clean only its exterior according to the maker’s instructions.
Integrated Taxonomic Information System · Accessed 2026-10-11
Alabama Butterfly Atlas, University of South Florida-hosted atlas · Accessed 2026-10-11
Natural Area Teaching Laboratory, University of Florida IFAS · Accessed 2026-10-11
Florida-Friendly Landscaping, University of Florida IFAS · Accessed 2026-10-11
Sources checked 2026-10-11. Illustrations · Luminary Oddities.
Return to the Entomological Atlas ↑
