Which Clouded Yellow?

[Wurzel]

Alright there?

Can anyone help with these Clouded Yellows - they were taken recently in Czech Republc and when I saw them flying they didn't look like typical Clouded Yellows - not the bright mustard colour and not white but, well, a pale yellow...could they be Pale Clouded Yellows or Helice Clouded? it might help to mention that I didn't see a single 'bright yellow' Clouded Yellow the whole time I was there - all four were of this 'pale' type and I did see a female that was almost white in colour with the Cloudy markings but couldn't get a photo.

1

2a

2b

3a

3b

4a

4b

Cheers in advance

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pieter Vantieghem]

Colias hyale/alfacariensis. But in my opinion it is impossible to make the difference from field pictures. A more rounded wing tip (individual 1) should be suggestive for alfacariensis and a pointed wingtip (individual 3) for hyale but this is all very dependent on individual variety, position of butterfly to camera,... Habitat can be suggestive also. Dry calcareous habitat with lots of Hippocrepis comosa plants (or Coronila varia) is suggestive for alfacariensis. Clover fields or alfalfa fields (sometimes but not always more humid) are more suggestive of hyale.