Mountain Dappled White (Euchloe simplonia)
2011 photos highlighted in green. Click on any photo to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.
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| 22264_female_Hautes-Alpes_14Jul10 | 27126_female_Hautes-Alpes_14Jul11 | 22371_female_Hautes-Alpes_15Jul10 |
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A butterfly of high altitudes, the normal minimum being 1500m (exceptionally as low as 1000m according to Lafranchis) but usually some way higher than 1500m. This makes ID a lot simpler as the other two Euchloe species that occur in France, (Western) Dappled White (E. crameri) and Portuguese Dappled White (E. tagis) are nearly always found below this level. |
The simplonia upf discoidal spot reaches the costa and is fused along it, and the upf apical marks are more diffuse, especially the female. There are also some subtleties of the markings on the unh. It is univoltine (single-brooded) and for a mountain butterfly it has a relatively early flight period of April to July, according to altitude. |
| ref | sex |
observations |
alt. m |
| 22264 | F |
a female, quite worn at the end of the flight period but clearly showing the large discoidal spot and the very diffuse apical mark. |
2020 |
| 27126 | F | another female at the end of the flight period. Interesting to note how often white butterflies are landed upon by small flies. | 2020 |
| 22371 | F |
a female underside, very yellow-green in colour. |
2040 |
22264_female_Hautes-Alpes_14Jul10
27126_female_Hautes-Alpes_14Jul11
22371_female_Hautes-Alpes_15Jul10
