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Colias hecla

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Colias hecla
Female
Male
Scientific classification
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C. hecla
Binomial name
Colias hecla
Lefèbvre, 1836
Synonyms
  • Eurymus hecla Dyar, 1903
  • Colias groenlandica Lampa, 1893

The Northern Clouded Yellow or Hecla Sulphur (Colias hecla) is a butterfly in the Pieridae family. In Europe, it is found in the northern part of Norway, Sweden and Finland up to heights of 900 m. It is also found in Greenland, Alaska, the Northwest Territories, Yukon, Quebec, Labrador, Manitoba, the Chukot region, East Chukotka and the Far East.

The wingspan is 36-46 mm. The butterfly flies in June to August depending on the location.

The larvae feed on Astragalus species, including Astragalus frigidus and Astragalus alpinus as well as Trifolium repens.

Subspecies

Colias hecla sulitelma
  • Colias hecla hecla (Greenland)
  • Colias hecla glacialis (Alaska and the Northwest Territories, Yukon, Quebec, Labrador)
  • Colias hecla hela (Manitoba, Northwest Territories)
  • Colias hecla aquilonaris or Colias hecla orientis (Chukot region, Far East)
  • Colias hecla sulitelma (Scandinavia, northwestern Siberia)
  • Colias hecla zamolodchikovi (East Chukotka)

Colias hecla sulitelma is sometimes treated as a separate species Colias sulitelma. If that is the case, Colias hecla zamolodchikovi is considered a subspecies of Colias sulitelma, named Colias sulitelma zamolodchikovi.

Furthermore, Colias canadensis is sometimes treated as a subspecies of Colias hecla, named Colias hecla canadensis.