Subject: butterfly
Location: Maryland
August 17, 2015 4:19 am
Saw this butterfly on our farm on the Eastern shore of Maryland on the Maryland Delaware line towards Dover Delaware. I didn’t get a good look at the top side of the wings but think they were mostly yellow. I have a good shot of the underside but I seem to be finding site using different names for what this appears to be. Would love to have your take on it.
Signature: Patti Cooper
Dear Patti,
Your digital file was named “Southern Dogface” and we disagree with that identification, though the family is correct. Though you don’t have a dorsal view, it is possible to make out the markings through the wings, and we can see a row of lighter spots in the black border of the upper wing. It also appears that the coloration is slightly orange, indicating this is a female Alfalfa Butterfly or Orange Sulphur, Colias eurytheme. You can compare your image to this BugGuide image.