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The Orange Sulphur (Eurymus eurytheme Eu'ry-mus)

Eurymus eurytheme (Eu'ry-mus eu-ryth'e-me) PLATE XVII, FIG. 4 This species closely resembles philodice in size, shape, and markings. The typical form differs from philodice in being of an orange color instead of yellow above; the costal margin of both wings and the inner margin of the hind wings are, however, yellow. Except in this difference in the ground color of the wings, the description of the clouded sulphur given above will apply quite closely to the more common form of this species.

This is one of the most polymorphic of all butterflies, and the forms differ so much that they have been described several times as distinct species. The typical form described above is the only one occurring in the East.

CATERPILLAR.-Length nearly one and one-fourth inches. Color grass-green, with an indistinct line down the back. Along each side of the back is a white stripe on which are irregular patches of vermillion or orange yellow; at the center of each segment below the stripe are darker markings. Food-plants. Clover, buffalo-clover in the West, milkvetch, lupines and pea-vines. This orange imitation of the clouded sulphur appears in many forms, each succeeding brood of the year being a different shade of yellow from the others, except in the far South, where it seems to have reached its limit in depth of color after the third brood. In some of the later broods part of the females are pale, looking distinctly anæmic when compared with their brilliant sisters.

The orange sulphur has had to adapt itself to various conditions. It has to summer in Texas, where its food-plant occurs only during the fall and winter; and it has to winter in the north, after the food-plant is frozen. It has been a source of great entertainment to the entomologists of the past who were species hunters, and they have described its different forms as distinct species. The records show that it has the following baptismal names: eurytheme, chrysotheme, hagenii, eriphyle, edusa, barbara, harfordii, keewaydin, ariadne, amphidusa and others. It can be seen from the above that this butterfly, which looks like a California poppy blown off the stem, can compete successfully in names with any of the crowned heads of Europe.

The species is most abundant in the Mississippi Valley; but it is found on the Pacific coast and also along the Atlantic coast as far as Maine. It is very much like the roadside butterfly in its habits, being an active flyer and social in its disposition.

This insect is from two- to four-brooded, depending on the locality; and it winters in both the adult and larval states.