Another orange (or is it actually yellow?) butterfly. Sleepy Orange Butterfly (Eurema nicippe). It is not enough to know that the butterfly you’ve seen is yellow/orange. You must pay attention to the details. In this case there is a diagonal dark smudge on the lower ventral wing which can be consistently seen.

And if you get a rare look at the dorsal side of the wings, you will see a small black dash in the middle in the upper forewing. That is where this butterfly gets its common name, “Sleepy.” I suppose it is thought this gives the butterfly a sleepy look, but its actions are anything but sleepy-like, their wings, with a span of 1.375″ to 2.25″, flutter in a very energetic way.

Sleepy Oranges’ native range is the southern third of the United States, clear down to Brazil. There are several host plants for this butterfly including plants in the Pea family. Adult butterflies enjoy flower nectar during its short life.

Watch for these beauties. They’re around just waiting to be noticed. But notice those little details.