Colias alfacariensis BERGERS CLOUDED YELLOW

Description

Taxonomy Identification: Family Pieridae, first named by Ribbe, 1905

Colour: A sexually dimorphic butterfly.

Male: The topside (recto) of the male is lemon yellow with a single black spot on each forewing and black wing tips centred with small yellow patch/dashes. The hindwing (recto) is faintly edged in black with a large orange spot. The male underside (verso) forewings are pale creamy yellow with a single black spot and outer row of smaller black spots. The wing tips are darker yellow. The hind-wing verso is greenish-yellow with faint black dashes and twin cream eye spots bordered in pink. Outer wing edge pinkish.

Female: The topside (recto) forewing of the of female is off-white with a single black spot on each forewing and black wing tips centred with off-white patches/dashes. The hindwing (recto) is more greyish-white with a orange spot of variable brightness. The wing margins are coloured a very faint black – absent in some specimens. The female underside (verso) forewings are cream-white with a single black spot and outer row of faint black dashes. The wing tips are  yellow with a blackish shadow showing through from the topside. The hind-wing verso is greenish-yellow with tiny row of pink/black spots and twin cream/gold eye spots bordered in pink. Outer wing edge pinkish.

Size: Wingspan 44-55mm

Comments & Applications: A beautiful pale lemon coloured butterfly, the females being whiter. An extremely rare immigrant to the British Isles, occurring on the south coast of England. Common throughout the Palaearctic region into Asia.

Very popular with the trade due to its bright colours, ideal for butterfly framing, domes, artwork, photography, interior design, film and reference collections.

Format: Choose either Papered / unmounted OR SET with wings spread mounted on a pin with locational data

More information: Wikipedia – Captive Breeding