Family: Pieridae, Whites and Sulphurs view all from this family

Description The Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe) is a North American butterfly in the family Pieridae.

The Sleepy Orange is a bright orange butterfly with the upper side of the wings having wide black borders. The forewing coastal margin has a small, narrow black spot. Some people think that the Sleepy Orange got its name from the black spot that looks like a closed eye; others say that the Sleepy Orange is a misnomer because, when disturbed, the butterfly has a very rapid flight. The underside of the wings varies seasonally: summer forms are bright yellow with brick red markings, while winter forms are browner and more heavily marked. It has a wingspan of 1 3/8 - 2 1/4 inches.

Dimensions 1 3/8-1 7/8" (35-48 mm).

Habitat Freshwater swamps, marshes & bogs, Scrub, shrub & brushlands, Cities, suburbs & towns, Meadows & fields, Deserts, Grasslands & prairies, Forests & woodlands, Canyons & caves.

Range Southwest, Rocky Mountains, New England, Texas, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Florida, Plains, California, Great Lakes.