LEPIDOPTERA
PIERIDAE Duponchel,1835
COLIAS Fabricius,1807
Colias myrmidone (Esper, [1777])
Colias myrmidone (Esper, [1777])
• RANGE . From central Europe to the Ciscaucasian region and W. Siberia.
• DISTRIBUTION AND VARIATION. The N. and central European parts - the nominate subspecies; the S. European part, the S. Urals, W. Siberia - ssp. ermak Grum-Grshimailo, 1890.
• HABITAT AND BIOLOGY. Steppe and forest-steppe areas with sparse woodlands, mainly of pine, on limestones. Flight period: April-September in two to three generations. Host plant: Cytisus (Nekrutenko, 1990), Chamaecytisus ruthenicus (Gorbunov, Korshunov, 1995). Larvae and pupae hibernating.
• SIMILAR SPECIES. C. crocea: UPS ground colour orange-yellow; dark marginal border with yellow stripes over veins.
Photo and text: Guide to the BUTTERFLIES OF RUSSIA and adjacent territories Volume 1. PENSOFT, Sofia - Moscow. 1997