English name:
Pale Clouded Yellow
Full scientific name:
Colias hyale (Linnaeus, 1758)
Croatian name:
Zagasiti poštar
Flight Period and Life Cycle
3 broods per year. Overwinters as caterpillar.
Distribution in Croatia
More common in the continental part of Croatia. Check the included map.
External Morphology Characteristics
The wings of this species are yellow, but they are lighter than those of Colias croceus. The dark border on the upper side of the forewing is not as wide as that of Colias croceus. Females are more bright than males. The species is very similar to Colias alfacariensis, which is a closely related sibling species. It is not possible to reliably differentiate the two species based on their imago appearance. The mature caterpillar of Colias hyale has two yellow stripes without black spots. The distribution and habitat of these two species differ.
Behavior
It has migratory abilities. Imago feeds with nectar of various flowers. When lands, it keeps wings closed.
Caterpillar Host Plants
Family Fabaceae.
Habitat
Calcareous grasslands and meadows. More common on the moist cultivated areas. Elevations: 0-1100m.
Literature
D.F.R. Cleary, H. Descimon, S.B.J. Menken: Genetic and ecological differentiation between the butterfly sisterspecies Colias alfacariensis and Colias hyale, Contributions to Zoology, 131-139, 2002