Sleepy Orange

Reproduction and habitat

The sleepy orange is a butterfly of open, low-elevation habitats in its wider range. Males patrol for mates, and females place eggs singly beneath host leaves. Eggs and caterpillars therefore offer stronger evidence of local breeding than an adult passing through a garden. The cited natural-history account describes the species beyond Hawaiʻi; it does not establish the seasonal timing or host use of the Kauaʻi population.

Kauaʻi occurrence and evidence

Atlas occurrence category: Present. Matsunaga, Howarth & Kumashiro (2019) Table 1 includes Kauaʻi island code 'Ka'; first-detection year shown as 2013; reported island distribution: Ha, Ka, Ko, Ma, Mo, Oa.

Account coverage

Published species details have been added. A complete Kauaʻi-specific account of identification, habitat, feeding, reproduction, and population trend is not yet established by the sources linked here.

Names and classification

Scientific name

Abaeis nicippe

Common names

Sleepy Orange

Family

Pieridae

Order

Lepidoptera

Record type

species

Kauaʻi occurrence and status

Kauaʻi occurrence

Present

Origin

Introduced

Conservation status

Not assessed

Process and seasonal context

Seasonal description

Sleepy Orange (Abaeis nicippe) belongs to Pieridae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.

Sources and further reading

• Peer-reviewed alien-fauna update
• Reproduction and habitat — species source