Alpes de Haute
Provence, France, July 2009
The underside hindwings of the form leucomelas have no black
markings.
Geneva,
Switzerland, June 2009
Isère, France,
May 2007
Geneva,
Switzerland, June 2007
Valais,
Switzerland, June 2008
NW Greece,
July 2008
incl. form leucomelas with white underside hindwing
Macedonia,
Greece, July 2004
Vaud, Switzerland, June 2006
Vaud, Switzerland, June 2006
Valais, Switzerland, July 2006
Valais, Switzerland, July 2006
Valais, Switzerland, July 2006
Valais, Switzerland, July 2006
Middle Atlas,
Morocco, June 2005
Valais,
Switzerland, July 2004
The butterfly is standing oddly because the white blob behind its
abdomen is a crab spider that has a lethal grip. One of the spider's
legs is visible on the flower head.
Isere, France,
August 2004
Valais,
Switzerland, June 2003
Hampshire, UK,
June 2000
Valais,
Switzerland, June 2003
Piedmont,
Italy, June 2003
form leucomelas
lacks underside black markings
This is found across Europe from southern England
to north Africa and eastwards to Italy, Greece and Poland. In Spain it
is only found in the vicinity of the Pyrenees and the Basque country
where there is an overlap with M. lachesis. Elsewhere in Spain it is replaced
entirely by the similar Iberian Marbled White, M.
lachesis. The undersides of the males have black markings, those of
the female are an attractive brown. They are butterflies of open flowery
meadow where they love to take nectar from purple Knapweeds.