English name:
Balkan Clouded Yellow
Full scientific name:
Colias caucasica (Staudinger, 1871)
Croatian name:
Planinski poštar
Flight Period and Life Cycle
1 brood per year. Overwinters as caterpillar.
Distribution in Croatia
On mountains only. Check the included map.
External Morphology Characteristics
The underside of the wings has a yellow color, with a more orange tone in the basal, discal, and postdiscal zones of the forewing. On the upper side, the wings appear as a saturated orange color, with a wide dark border along the marginal and submarginal zones. This butterfly closely resembles its sibling species, Colias myrmidone. It is not possible to reliably differentiate between the two species based on the imago’s appearance. However, the distribution and habitat of these two species are different.
Behavior
When lands, it keeps wings closed. It has migratory abilities.
Caterpillar Host Plants
Family Fabaceae (Chamaecytisus hirsutus).
Habitat
Woodland clearances, grasslands on the slopes, karst fields and rocky terrains. Elevations: >1000m.
Note
Colias caucasica balcanica (Rebel, 1901) is subspecies in Croatia.
Literature
N. Tvrtković, I. Mihoci, M. Šašić: Colias caucasica balcanica (Rebel 1901) in Croatia – the most western distribution point. Nat. Croat. 2011, Vol 20, No 2, 375-385