Moorland Clouded Yellow (Colias palaeno)
2024 photographs highlighted in yellow. Click on any photograph to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.
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| 12238_male_Hautes-Alpes_8Jul08 | 31316_male_Savoie_18Jul12 | 41913_male_Savoie_24Jul16 | 45607_male_Savoie_14Jul18 |
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| 17556_female_Hautes-Alpes_08Jul09 | 27727_female_Valais, Switzerland_22Jul11 |
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An altitude butterfly having a minimum altitude range of 1500m in the Alpes, although occurring lower in the Jura. It is similar to the Mountain Clouded Yellow (C. phicomone) although clearly recognisable by the solid black marginal band on the upf which shows through to the underside, especially if the sun is behind it and light is shining through. |
The unh "hollow" cell mark differentiates it from other Crocea species, but I'm not sure how reliable this is. As with many Colias species, the male upperside is yellow and the female white. It is rather localised and I have only seen it in a few locations, and only in 2010 did I see it in more than ones or twos in any location. In 2012 (and subsequently in 2016), however, on a visit to the département of Savoie, palaeno was found to be distinctly more common. |
| ref | sex |
observations |
alt. m |
| 12238 | M |
a male. |
2100 |
| 31316 | M | a male, better illustrating the solid black border, especially of the forewing. | 1970 |
| 41913 | M | a male, rather paler yellow than normal and the ups black markings less contrasted as seen from the underside. | 2010 |
| 45607 | M | a male, with very heavy unh dark scales giving it a very grainy appearance. | 1830 |
| 17556 | F |
a female, the white colouring being quite apparent. |
2000 |
| 27727 | F | a very pale female, possibly partially as a result of wear and loss of yellow scales. | 2160 |
12238_male_Hautes-Alpes_8Jul08
17556_female_Hautes-Alpes_08Jul09
27727_female_Valais, Switzerland_22Jul11
