Cleopatra Butterfly vs Holly Blue

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cleopatra Butterfly Holly Blue
Scientific Name Gonepteryx cleopatra Celastrina argiolus
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Pieridae Lycaenidae
Size Wingspan 50-70mm 26-34 mm wingspan
Habitat Heathland Underground
Diet Herbivores Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, Africa Europe, North Africa, Asia, North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Cleopatra Butterfly

A large butterfly with deep orange forewings in males and pale greenish wings in females. Common in Mediterranean areas.

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Did You Know?

Males have the deepest orange coloring of any European pierid butterfly, contrasting with their lemon-yellow undersides.

Holly Blue

Pale silvery-blue butterfly with small black dots on the underside. Alternates between holly and ivy as host plants between spring and summer broods.

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Did You Know?

Population numbers cycle dramatically every few years due to a parasitic wasp that tracks its abundance.