By Marie S. Harris
Geographic Range
The Orange-barred Giant Sulphur is a resident of the New World Tropics. It is specifically found in lowland tropical America and south on into Brazil. However, it can be an irregular vagrant in southern Texas, Colorado, Minnesota,Wisconsin, and Connecticut.
Biogeographic Regions:
nearctic 
(native ); neotropical (native ).
Habitat
Orange-barred Giant Sulphurs can be found in forest edges, city gardens, and roadsides where flowers grow. They prefer open areas.
Terrestrial Biomes:
savanna or grassland ; forest ; rainforest .
Physical Description
The Orange-barred Giant Sulfur has a wingspread of 2.75 to 3.25 inches. It has distinguishing yellow and orange markings. The male forewing has a red-orange bar and the hindwing has an orange-red outer margin. Females are larger than the males and are dimorphic. One is yellow with a orange hue and the other is white. Both forms of the female possess a solid black cell spot and black smudges. The outer half of the hindwing on the yellow butterfly is red with an orange hue.
Some key physical features:
ectothermic ; bilateral symmetry .
Reproduction
The larva is a yellow green with lateral stripes and blackish-red dots that taper at the end. It makes a tent to hide in during the day by pulling the leaf of one of its foodplants together.
Behavior
The Orange-barred Giant Sulphur may migrate extensively . It is in flight for the majority of the year and is vagrant during mid- to late summer.
Food Habits
The Orange-barred Giant Sulphur feeds on sennas. The larval foodplants are Partridge Pea, sennas, and clover.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
No documented examples.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
No documented examples.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List: [link]:
Not Evaluated.
US Federal List: [link]:
No special status.
CITES: [link]:
No special status.
State of Michigan List: [link]:
No special status.
Although the species has not received special attention, it is extremely rare.
Other Comments
Adult males gather on moist sand along rivers and streams.
For More Information
Find Phoebis philea information at
Contributors
Marie S. Harris (author), University of Michigan.
