About Colias phicomone (Esper, 1780)
This species, Colias phicomone (Esper, 1780), has a wingspan of 40 to 50 millimeters. Males have yellow upper wing surfaces covered in dense dark scales, which gives their wings an overall dark greenish color. Yellow submarginal spots of varying development (sometimes partially absent) are located on the dark outer edge of the wings. The center of the forewing bears a black spot, while the center of the hindwing has a yellowish-reddish spot. The front and outer edges of the forewings, the entire edge of the hindwings, as well as the head and antennae, are rose-red. The underside of the forewings is white, with a more or less yellow coloration at the apex. The underside of the hindwings is yellow, with dark scales on its inner portion. The central spot, which is often double, is mother-of-pearl with a red border; this border sometimes extends outward in the shape of a line. Females are impure white on their upper wing surfaces, with fewer dark markings that are more sharply defined, and paler coloration on their lower wing surfaces. This butterfly flies from June to August, with flight timing varying by location.
