These butterflies are principally white, orange, or yellow, with blackish markings and borders on their wings. The larvae of the common white European cabbage butterfly, which was introduced into North America, feed on cabbage and related plants and are considered a pest species.
Native sulphurs are common in fields and yards, where the larvae feed on clovers.
Some members of this butterfly group appear as small versions of swallowtails. However, these small butterflies have only thin, hairlike extensions projecting from the hindwings, not the wider, more developed wing extensions of swallowtails. At rest, blues and hairstreaks characteristically hold their wings folded over their backs. In this posture, patches of orange that decorate many common species can be observed. Birds often strike color patches or tails, mistaking them for butterfly heads and allowing the butterflies to escape.