Sleepy Orange

Description:

Upperside of wings orange in both sexes; orange-yellow form rare. Forewing with small black cell spot. Male with sharply defined black borders on outer and costal margins; female borders not so well-defined. In winter form, underside of hindwing is brick red, brown, or tan; in summer form it is orange-yellow.

Habitat:

Edge of riverbed.

Notes:

This butterfly was puddling in the moist soil of the riverbed. Puddling is the term given to the aggregation of some insects on wet soil or dung to obtain moisture and nutrients. Puddling is most commonly seen in butterflies with large numbers of individual insects gathering at the edge of puddles, on wet soil, on dung or on carrion. The insects use their proboscis to obtain moisture and also other nutrients and salts.