Sleepy Orange
Abaeis nicippe

Sleepy Orange is common statewide but is most abundant south of the Fall Line. It is not cold tolerant and may retreat from northern counties in harsh winters. The habitat is a variety of open areas including open woods, fields, roadsides. Large groups often gather at mud puddles. There are two forms: the winter form, which has a tan to brick red ventral HW, and the summer form, which has an orange-yellow ventral HW with males showing a deeper orange on the ventral FW and females showing are a paler yellow-orange. The hostplants are Coffeeweed (Sicklepod) (Senna obtusifolia), Coffee Senna (Senna occidentalis), Maryland Senna (Senna marilandica), American Senna (Senna hebecarpa), Sensitive Plant (Chamaecrista nictitans), and Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata). There are two broods north of the Fall Line and three broods south of the Fall Line from January to November. Early Date: Jan 2 (Grady County); Late Date: November 10 (McIntosh County). Conservation Status: Secure.