Little yellow
Each summer this southern butterfly spreads far north into New England and the Great Lakes, then disappears completely once frost arrives.
| Where | Open fields, roadsides and pastures |
|---|---|
| Size | 25 to 44 mm wingspan |
| When | April to December |
The little yellow is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 25 to 44 mm. The upperside is clear lemon to sulphur yellow framed by a solid black border, widest at the forewing tip, while the speckled yellow underside often shows a faint rusty spot near the hindwing margin.
Caterpillars feed on partridge pea and other low legumes, and multiple broods fly year round in the far south. Each summer adults spread far north into New England and the Great Lakes region, then die out completely once freezing weather arrives.
Traits
Habitat
Grassland
Colour
Yellow, Black
Active
Day
To people
Harmless to people; adults gather at mud puddles for minerals.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
A deeper, saturated orange butterfly with a jagged black border and a small dark eye-like mark on the forewing, instead of the Little yellow's clear lemon yellow and even border.
Questions
Is the Little yellow dangerous to people?
Harmless to people; adults gather at mud puddles for minerals.
When can you see the Little yellow?
The Little yellow can be seen from April to December, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by LBuffum, CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist Licence
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Butterflies and moths›Whites and yellows›Eurema
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.