The title translates to: "Christoph's Jaundice - Christof's Yellow Butterfly."

Christoph's Sulphur - Colias christophi Gr.–Gr.
This butterfly is named after the famous entomologist and tireless insect collector Christoph, who traveled extensively in Central Asia. It is quite deservedly considered one of the most striking species of sulphurs that adorn nature. Unlike other sulphurs, males and females of this species are very similar in appearance. Females are less active and are most often hidden in the grass. The length of the forewing is 20—24 mm. The wingspan is 47—50 mm. Males are slightly smaller than females. Unlike other species of this genus, the coloration of this species is dominated by black-brown colors. The forewing is ochre-orange, heavily dusted with dark scales in the lower half. The outer marginal band is black and wide, while its inner edge is blurred and slightly does not reach the black spot located at the end of the median cell. Inside the band, there is a row of large whitish spots. The median field of the forewings is rusty-brown in color.

The hindwings are greenish-gray with a white spot in the middle. They are heavily darkened with black-brown dusting on a gray background. There is a black band with light spots reaching the inner angle. The median dot is whitish, and the inner edge is bluish-gray. Along the wide black border on the outer edge of the wings, there is a series of greenish-white spots that almost merge into a solid band.

Christoph's Sulphur inhabits slopes covered with alpine vegetation, among which spiny astragali can be found.

The flight time of butterflies of this species is in July. They produce one generation per year. Their flight, like that of all representatives of this genus, is fast and evasive. Females are much rarer than males, as they lead a sedentary lifestyle, flying very little and often sitting in the grass.

The caterpillar feeds on the leaves of plants from the genus Onobrychis. They presumably overwinter in the stage of a young caterpillar or pupa.

Overall, the population is low. In recent decades, there has been a trend of declining numbers in many places. The range of the species, which is trophically closely related to only one plant species, is limited by the distribution of this plant on one side and the climatic conditions of the high mountains on the other. The reduction in habitat and population numbers occurs as a result of economic activities.

Distribution:
Alai Valley. Found at altitudes from 2500 to 3500 m above sea level. It inhabits subalpine meadows, on slopes where hemixerophytic alpine vegetation grows with a mix of spiny astragali, on gravelly and rocky slopes with xerophytic sparse tragacanth vegetation. Individual butterflies may sometimes descend into atypical biotopes of the upper zone of the middle mountain belt, but they do not leave offspring there.

INSECTS OF KYRGYZSTAN