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Colias croceus

Clouded Yellow

Field Notes

Var, France, July 2010

Valais, Switzerland, November 2010

Valais, Switzerland, November 2010

Courtship and coupling.

Vaud, Switzerland, September 2009

Bouches du Rhône, France, July 2009

Valais, Switzerland, February 2007

Vaud, Switzerland, May 2010

Valais, Switzerland, June 2007

Vaud, Switzerland, July 2006

Female of the white form helice.

Lesbos, Greece, April 2005

Crete, June 2004

Crete, June 2004

Macedonia, Greece, July 2000

Female upperside - only ever possible to see during courtship

Macedonia, Greece, July 2000

Male approaches

Macedonia, Greece, July 2000

Another approach

This is a strong migrant that most years reaches as far as northern France and southern England, sometimes much further north into Scotland and Ireland. Number fluctuate with each year, some years being remembered as "Clouded Yellow Years".

They are very regular further south and can be found in most habitats and most altitudes although they decrease in numbers with increasing altitude. They fly very fast and settle only briefly for nectar when they are usually too alert to approach for photography. Consequently I have few picture but I'm sure this will improve this season with a bit of effort on my part!

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