Lesser Clouded Yellow
Colias chrysotheme
Colias chrysotheme, the lesser clouded yellow, is a small Palearctic butterfly belonging to the family Pieridae.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colias_chrysotheme
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera
Family
Pieridae
Genus
Colias
Lesser Clouded Yellow belongs to the family Pieridae, order Lepidoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
Colias chrysotheme, the lesser clouded yellow, is a small Palearctic butterfly belonging to the family Pieridae.
The Lesser Clouded Yellow butterfly faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized grassland ecosystems. Agricultural intensification, urbanization, and changes in land management practices have eliminated much of the species' required habitat. Climate change may also be affecting the availability of its host plants and suitable breeding conditions.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
In Eastern Central Europe in Lower Austria, in Burgenland (Lake Neusiedl), in Hungary then east to Romania , Ukraine , South Russia , Kazakhstan , South Siberia , Mongolia and Palearctic parts of China. It favors flowered meadows, sparse forests, plains and steppe at altitudes below 2,000 m.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Lesser Clouded Yellow butterfly faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized grassland ecosystems. Agricultural intensification, urbanization, and changes in land management practices have eliminated much of the species' required habitat. Climate change may also be affecting the availability of its host plants and suitable breeding conditions.
Agricultural intensification
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Urbanization and development
Changes in grassland management
Climate change impacts
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | VUVulnerable | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | VUVulnerable | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Lesser Clouded Yellow (Colias chrysotheme). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/lesser-clouded-yellow