Colias caucasica

Balkan clouded yellow
File:Colias caucasica caucasica female Paralectotype 01 dorsal side MNHU.jpg
Colias caucasica caucasica female dorsal side
File:Colias caucasica caucasica male Lectotype 01 ventral side MNHU.jpg
Colias caucasica caucasica male ventral side
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Pieridae
Genus:	Colias
Species:	C. caucasica
Binomial name
Colias caucasica Staudinger, 1871
Synonyms
Colias caucasica anna Gerhard, 1882 Colias caucasica olga Romanoff, 1882 Colias caucasica alba Rühl, [1893]

Colias caucasica, the Balkan clouded yellow, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found in the western Caucasus, in northeastern Turkey, and in the Balkan Peninsula.

Description

Similar to but larger and more deeply orange red than Colias myrmidone, the distal margin being more broadly black; on the underside, which is similar to that of C. myrmidone, the very large central double spot of the hindwing is prominent. The female is mostly yellowish white, rarely orange red, bearing small light submarginal spots.

Biology

The larvae feed on Cytisus and Astragalus caucasicus.

Subspecies

• Colias caucasica caucasica
• Colias caucasica balcanica Rebel, 1901 - may be a full species (Colias balcanica)