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Matt Rowlings

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Colias alfacariensis

Berger's Clouded Yellow

Field Notes

Vaud, Switzerland, September 2009

Vaud, Switzerland, May 2009
Unusual selection of Sainfoin as an egg laying site.

Valais, Switzerland, September 2009

Pletvar Massif, FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), July 2004

Valais, Switzerland, April 2007
Showing basal markings

Pletvar Massif, FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), July 2004

Kozani, Greece, May 2004

This is a widespread butterfly across most of central Europe and the Mediterranean. It very occasionally reaches the shores of the UK. It has a close relative, the Pale Clouded Yellow, Colias hyale. It is very difficult to distinguish. Some key characteristics are (for yellow butterflies, not the white female forms):

alfacariensis is brighter yellow
alfacariensis upperside basal area extends along the inner margin giving this dark area a triangular shape, in hyale it doesn't do this and so forms more of a fan shape in the basal area

There are other characteristics but I find it very hard to use them objectively. However combined with the above may help in difficult specimens.

Females may be of the white form which is common across many of the Colias species. They are so close to the other species in appearance that generally I chose to get a closer look at a yellow male than attempt to identify a white female.

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