Butterflies of
Europe
Cleopatra
Gonepteryx
cleopatra
LINNAEUS, 1767
Family - PIERIDAE
subfamily -
COLIADINAE
Tribe -
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
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Gonepteryx cleopatra, male, Velebit mts, Croatia
( image
courtesy © Peter Bruce-Jones ) |
Introduction
There are 10 species in
the genus Gonepteryx, distributed variously across
Europe and temperate Asia, with 2 species also found in north Africa, and one
species nepalensis endemic to Nepal.
All
Gonepteryx species share the same distinctive wing shape. The females of
most species are pale greenish white in colour, while the males vary according
to species from pale primrose yellow in farinosa to
deep orange-yellow in amintha. The undersides of
all species are pale greenish or yellowish, with raised venation on the
hindwings, giving them a leaf-like appearance at rest.
Gonepteryx cleopatra is arguably the most beautiful in the genus, the
males being deep yellow on the upperside, flushed on the forewings with orange.
Early entomologists listed several subspecies of cleopatra
including G. cleopatra cleobule from the Canary
Islands, and G. c. maderensis from Madeira, but
both are regarded as fully-fledged species by some taxonomists. DNA analysis and
phylogenetic comparisons have failed to conclusively prove the case one way or
the other.
The Cleopatra is found in the
warmer regions of Europe including most of Spain and Portugal, the south of
France, Italy, Croatia, southern Greece, Turkey and most Mediterranean islands.
Its range extends east to Syria, and also includes the north African counties of
Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.
Throughout most of its range
the butterfly is common - I have vivid recollections of driving through Provence
in 1995, and seeing dozens flying along the roadsides. Several hit the
windscreen, and when I stopped the car I found 6 adults splattered across the
bonnet and bumpers. The roadside and nearby rocky ground were covered in the
dismembered wings of dozens of other Cleopatras which had been attacked by
birds.
Gonepteryx cleopatra, male, Velebit mts, Croatia
( image
courtesy © Peter Bruce-Jones )
Habitats
Gonepteryx
cleopatra
is found in warm, dry and often rocky habitats including light
deciduous or coniferous woodland, scrubby grassland and roadsides.
It is most commonly found at altitudes between sea level and about
1200m, but there are records from as high as 3000m.
The species / subspecies
maderensis,
cleobule, palmae and
eversi are all largely restricted to
laurel forests on Madeira or the Canary Islands at altitudes
between about 400-1500m.
Lifecycle
Over most of
their range the
butterflies are single-brooded, emerging in
late May, and remaining on the wing until late August. There is
uncertainty about the voltinism of the Madeira and Canary Island
taxa, which fly at different times - March/April, June to
September, and December. This could be the result of
polyvoltinism, or it may be the case that in hot regions this
long-lived species aestivates in certain months and goes
undetected.
Individual butterflies can live for up to 10 months. Between
September-February they hibernate, except on Madeira and the
Canary Islands, where they fly at low altitudes where temperatures
remain high enough for activity even in mid-winter.
The pale
greenish-white
skittle-shaped eggs are laid singly on the stems, buds or young leaves of
buckthorn bushes, chiefly Rhamnus catharticus
although alaternus,
myrtifolia, oleoides,
alpinus, sibthorpianus and
persicifolius are also used. On Madeira and the Canary
Islands the foodplants are Rhamnus
glandulosa and crenulata.
When
small, the larvae feed on the underside of the leaves,
peppering them with tiny holes. Older larvae can be found resting along the
midrib on the upperside of the leaves, with the front half of their bodies arched slightly. Throughout their
development they are green, and covered with a sprinkling of short fine
hairs.
When
ready to pupate, the larva attaches itself by the
tail and a thin silk
girdle, either to the midrib on the
underside of a buckthorn leaf,
or more often to a narrow stem away from the foodplant. It hangs in this position for about 24 hours during which
the body gradually arches and stiffens prior to moulting the skin, revealing the
newly formed chrysalis.
The chrysalis is pale green and is superbly
camouflaged. The
wing colours of the developing adult can be seen about 3 or 4 days before
it emerges.
Adult behaviour
Both sexes nectar at a wide variety of flowers but strongly favour
knapweeds and thistles. On the Canary Islands they commonly nectar
at Cedronella.
Overnight roosting and hibernation usually take place beneath
bramble leaves Rubus fruticosus in
mainland Europe and on Madeira, but on the Canary Islands they
settle beneath laurel leaves.
It is noteworthy that the mainland and Canary Island races
strongly reflect UV from the undersides of their hindwings, just
like the bramble leaves beneath which they roost and hibernate.
Madeira adults however have non UV-reflective undersides,
matching the laurel leaves among which they roost overnight.
This is believed to be an evolutionary adaptation that
makes it more difficult for UV-sensitive insectivorous birds to
locate and devour the butterflies.
Gonepteryx cleopatra, female, Velebit mts, Croatia
( image
courtesy © Peter Bruce-Jones )
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