Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe)

Statewide, and common to abundant (but less common in the mountains), this species is multibrooded in NC, flying from early Spring into early Winter. It is found in a variety of habitats from gardens, powerlines, and woodland borders to ag fields, especially soybean.

Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe)
Chatham Co., NC
19 Oct 2005

Many fall / winter color form shows rich brick-orange undersides

Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe)
Chatham Co., NC
20 Oct 2006

Photographed in flight at 1/1000 sec to show topside of wing. Sleepy Oranges are named after the forewing eyespot which looks "closed" or "sleepy".


Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe) Nectaring on White Clover (Trifolium repens) Washington Co., NC 21 June 2003	Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe) Nectaring on Aster grandiflorus Chatham Co., NC 2 Nov 2003


Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe) Chatham Co., NC 26 Sep 2004	Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe) This runt was barely larger than a Little Yellow Chatham Co., NC 20 Oct 2006


Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe) Pettigrew State Park, Washington Co., NC 21 June 2006	Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe) Pettigrew State Park, Washington Co., NC 21 June 2006


Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe) Sandhills Game Lands, Scotland Co., NC 4 Aug 2016	Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe) Bay Tree S. P., Bladen Co., NC 1 Oct 2016

Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe)
Pender Co., NC
13 Sep 2009

This crab spider victim shows the dorsal pattern quite well.

North Carolina Butterflies | North American Butterflies | Jeff's Nature Page

Created on ... June 26, 2003 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com