Cleopatra Gonepteryx cleopatra
With wings closed as Gonepteryx species always do when settled feeding, I thought this was merely a Brimstone but had been puzzled what seemed to be very orangey forewings visible in flight. My expert friend Barry tells me that since Brimstones don't actually fly on Rhodes and you can see a hint of orange through the forewing, this is a Cleopatra butterfly.
Although it seemed to favour purple flowers of the Asteraceae family when nectaring (LHS: Onopordum illyricum RHS: Ptilostemon chamepeuce), the larval food plant is Alder buckthorn - the same as the Brimstone.
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| Cleopatra Gonepteryx cleopatra |
LHS: Waste land at Asklipio, Rhodes 15th May 2010 RHS: outside Sianna, Rhodes 14th May 2010
Added on 3rd June 2010