Cleopatra Butterfly: a Modern-Day Mediterranean Queen

Somewhere in the Spanish Andalusian countryside, perched on a flower, sits a butterfly. Green wings, furry light green body, and its proboscis unfurled as it sips on the nectar of the flower under its feet. The Gonepteryx cleopatra picks up particles of pollen from the flower it is feeding on, preparing to fly over to a different one. This butterfly is partaking in a vital ecosystem service: pollination.

Over 75% of flowering plants reproduce through the help of pollinators. From wildflowers to agricultural crops, pollinators play a crucial role in maintaining thriving ecosystems and ensuring crop yield. Human agriculture is drastically improved by the presence of pollinators, as they affect at least 35% of agricultural land, supporting the production of 87 of the leading food crops worldwide (FAO). 

Cleopatra Butterfly 

This particular pollinator is known as Cleopatra. Endemic to the Mediterannean, the Cleopatra butterfly can be found in southern Europe, North Africa and parts of West Asia, primarily in woodland and open shrubland habitats. As a pollinator, it will feed on a multitude of plants. However, as a caterpillar it will only feed on buckthorns, such as common buckthorn (Rhamnus catharticus), Mediterranean buckthorn (Rhamnus alaternus), and Alpine Buckthorn (Rhamnus alpina).    

Stages of life 

Adult Cleopatra butterflies lay their eggs on the young leaves of buckthorns in Spring. These tiny eggs vary from yellow to green, allowing them to blend into the leaves of the buckthorn and offering them natural protection from predators. The larvae typically hatch after 1-2 weeks, depending on temperature and other environmental conditions. Once the young caterpillar is born, it will eat and grow - the classic tale of a hungry hungry caterpillar.   

It will take the young Cleopatra several weeks to reach the final part of its life as a caterpillar. Once it arrives at this stage, it will find a suitable location on the buckthorn plant to pupate. Pupation is a crucial stage for butterflies, during which the caterpillar will attach itself to a surface and form a chrysalis around itself. Inside the chrysalis, the caterpillar will undergo a metamorphosis that will transform it into... a princess! Only joking. This queen transforms into a butterfly.  

Once fully formed, the adult butterfly will break out of its chrysalis. At this stage, its wings are often crumpled and too soft to fly with, so the butterfly must wait a few hours before it can take off. A reminder to all of us that, sometimes, in order to soar, you have to take your time.  

Physical features 

Similar to the ancient queen it is named after, the Cleopatra butterfly is known for its beauty. It has a bright green-yellow body with large wings, between 4.5-7.5 cm in width, or approximately between the size of a matchstick and a post it. Males can be more easily recognised by the orange patch on their forewings, whereas females, who lack these orange patches, are harder to identify. Female Cleopatra are identified by the slightly rounder shape of their wings, otherwise they can be easily confused with the common brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni).    

Cleopatras are generally difficult to identify. You must catch the males in movement, in order to spot their orange colouration. This makes them easier to recognise but harder to capture on camera. For the female, you must study it while it is resting or feeding, in order to properly see its wings. Beware! The Cleopatra butterfly rests with its wings closed, meaning that unless you have seen it fly, and thus seen the inside of its forewings, you are unlikely to be able to tell if it is a male or female.  

This species' green-yellow colouring is a defence mechanism it has evolved over the years. This colouring resembles that of more toxic species of butterflies, which predators will have learnt to avoid. Unlike with humans, out in the wild, giving off toxic vibes is a good idea.  

Until next month!

Forever admiring nature's beauty,

Talia, from the IUCN Med communications team 

P.S. If you want to help protect butterflies, check out the work of IUCN Save Our Species and everything they're doing to protect the Pieris cheiranthi, an endangered butterfly endemic to the Canary islands.

Bibliography

• IUCN Red List
• Diputación Provincial de Málaga 
• Butterfly Conservation
• Butterflies of France 
• FAO
• Entomology, Ornithology & Herpetology: Current Research
• Sustainable Agriculture Network