| Clouded Yellow (Colias crocea (Fourcroy, 1785)) |
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Scientific name: Colias crocea (Fourcroy, 1785) Common name: Clouded Yellow Other names: Other scientific name: Colias croceus. French name: Souci Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Rhopalocera Family: Pieridae Subfamily: Coliadinae Wingspan: 45 to 55 mm. Biotope: Open areas, Clover fields and Lucerne fields. Geographic area: North Africa, Europe including northern regions (missing in the extreme north of Scandinavia - northern populations are migratory butterflies coming from the south), western Asia, Iran. Flight time: April to September. Number of generations : 2 à 4. Caterpillar: Green with two longitudinal white lines. Host plant: Various Fabaceae including Clovers (Trifolium sp.), Lucernes (Medicago sp.), Sainfoins (Onobrychis sp.), Trefoils (Lotus sp.), Coronilla (Coronilla sp.), Melilots (Melilotus sp.), Hippocrepis (Hippocrepis sp.) and Astragalus (Astragalus sp.). |
The upper side of the male's wings is bright orange yellow with a wide black outer margin. This black margin is crossed by yellow veins. The upper side of the female's wings only differ by wider margins marked with yellow patches. The under side of the wings is yellow with green scaling on the forewing's margin and on the hind wing. There is a twin white spot, circled with red, on the under side of the hind wing. There is a specific form called helice with the upper side of the female's wings being greenish white. |
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You cannot see this migratory butterfly every year in the Paris region. 2009 has been a good year. However there was far less Clouded Yellows than Painted Ladies (Cynthia cardui). |
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On this picture you can see the green scaling on the forewing margin and on the hind wing. You have a small view of the black margin on the upper side of the forewing. |
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My stay in Ardèche during the summer 2008 enabled me to observe new butterfly species. I am not yet very experienced to tell apart species of the Colias genus. |
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You can see, by transparency, pale patches on a black border on the fore wings and on the hind wings. This confirms one female Colias crocea. |
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Pay attention, someone is coming! |
André Bon September 2010