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Cloudless Sulfur Larva (Phoebis sennae) On Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata), one of its known host plants. I was surprised at how much this looks like the pods of the partridge pea plant (when flattened out)! I almost passed it by for that reason! <br />
<br />
Thanks to Barry for bringing up the bright color/possible aposematism here! It turns out that the host plants (Senna, Cassia, and Chamaecrista sp.) are all poisonous species. So larvae like this one that (pretty much exclusively) feed on them accumulate a toxic deterrent!<br />
<br />
I found this while taking my first count for the Great Georgia Pollinator Census!<br />
<figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83470/cloudless_sulfur_larva_phoebis_sennae.html" title="Cloudless Sulfur Larva (Phoebis sennae)"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/3231/83470_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=uSxQYmrz9bk0taKmf6L5vj7tTus%3D" width="200" height="134" alt="Cloudless Sulfur Larva (Phoebis sennae) On Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata), one of its known host plants. I was surprised at how much this looks like the pods of the partridge pea plant (when flattened out)! I almost passed it by for that reason! <br />
<br />
Thanks to Barry for bringing up the bright color/possible aposematism here! It turns out that the host plants (Senna, Cassia, and Chamaecrista sp.) are all poisonous species. So larvae like this one that (pretty much exclusively) feed on them accumulate a toxic deterrent!<br />
<br />
I found this while taking my first count for the Great Georgia Pollinator Census!<br />
https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83471/cloudless_sulfur_larva_phoebis_sennae.html Cloudless sulphur,Geotagged,Phoebis sennae,Summer,United States,aposematic,aposematism,caterpillar,caterpillars,gold,larva,larvae,yellow" /></a></figure> Cloudless sulphur,Geotagged,Phoebis sennae,Summer,United States,aposematic,aposematism,caterpillar,caterpillars,gold,larva,larvae,yellow Click/tap to enlarge

Cloudless Sulfur Larva (Phoebis sennae)

On Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata), one of its known host plants. I was surprised at how much this looks like the pods of the partridge pea plant (when flattened out)! I almost passed it by for that reason!

Thanks to Barry for bringing up the bright color/possible aposematism here! It turns out that the host plants (Senna, Cassia, and Chamaecrista sp.) are all poisonous species. So larvae like this one that (pretty much exclusively) feed on them accumulate a toxic deterrent!

I found this while taking my first count for the Great Georgia Pollinator Census!

Cloudless Sulfur Larva (Phoebis sennae) On Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata), one of its known host plants. I was surprised at how much this looks like the pods of the partridge pea plant (when flattened out)! I almost passed it by for that reason! <br />
<br />
Thanks to Barry for bringing up the bright color/possible aposematism here! It turns out that the host plants (Senna, Cassia, and Chamaecrista sp.) are all poisonous species. So larvae like this one that (pretty much exclusively) feed on them accumulate a toxic deterrent!<br />
<br />
I found this while taking my first count for the Great Georgia Pollinator Census!<br />
https://www.jungledragon.com/image/83471/cloudless_sulfur_larva_phoebis_sennae.html Cloudless sulphur,Geotagged,Phoebis sennae,Summer,United States,aposematic,aposematism,caterpillar,caterpillars,gold,larva,larvae,yellow

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The cloudless sulphur or cloudless giant sulphur is a midsized butterfly in the family Pieridae found in the New World. There are several similar species such as the yellow angled-sulphur, which has angled wings, or other sulphurs, which are much smaller.

Similar species: Moths And Butterflies
Species identified by Flown Kimmerling
View Flown Kimmerling's profile

By Flown Kimmerling

All rights reserved
Uploaded Aug 23, 2019. Captured Aug 23, 2019 09:29 in 234 Oakman Rd NE, Ranger, GA 30734, USA.
  • Canon EOS 6D Mark II
  • f/5.6
  • 1/181s
  • ISO100
  • 100mm