This species bears a remarkable resemblance to the Clouded Yellow, but in the male the uppersides are more lemon-yellow and have a continuous black border. It also has slightly more pointed wings than most other Colias species. It is confined to eastern Europe but is reportedly spreading westwards from its strongholds in Asia via regular annual migrations. It is a highly migratory species with a tendency to wander and like the Clouded Yellow it can turn up almost anywhere. I found a specimen in Romania (where it can be common in some years) among other Colias species.
Distribution: Widespread but scattered in eastern Europe, being present in Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Serbia and Macedonia. Has also been recorded in Poland, Austria, Czech Republic and Germany.
Flight Period: March-October in 3 or 4 broods; usually most abundant in late summer.
Habitat: Meadows, flower-rich fields, parks and scrub up to 1700m.
Fooplants: Primarily Black Medic (Medicago lupulina), but also Lucerne (Medicago sativa), slovers (Trifolium), trefoils (Lotus) etc.
Nectar Sources: Hawkweeds (Hieracium), thistles (Cirsium), vetches (Vicia), Lucerne (Medicago sativa) etc.
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- Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, Cluj, Romania, June 2019
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- Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, Cluj, Romania, June 2019
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- Black Medick, Medicago lupulina, one of the larval foodplants.
