Colias alfacariensis Staudinger, 1871  
Berger's Clouded Yellow, Hufeisenklee-Gelbling oder Sudliche Heufalter, Fluore (papillon), Желтушка южная, Հարավային դեղնաթիթեռ

Distribution and biological peculiarities in Armenia: 
The species is found in Palearctic ecozone (South and Central Europe, South Russia, Russian Far East, Asia Minor, Caucasus, Transcaucasia, Middle Asia China). Armenia is inhabited by subspecies C. s. fontainei Reissinger, 1989, which occupies entire country, occurring in wide variety of habitats at the elevations between 400 and 2400 m a.s.l. In Armenia тhe species uses only one host-plant - Coronilla varia. The Berger's Clouded yellow gives at least three generations per year, having butterflies on wing from early May till late October. 

Population dynamics:
The species has high abundance in many of its habitats. The population trend during 2003-2013 demonstrates moderate increase (p<0.01). Despite the fact of high level of species' food specialization and the fact that the host plant is eatable for the livestock, it appears that the overgrazing doesn't influence the species in Armenia.

Conservation measures: 
The species is not evaluated for IUCN Red List, and for the Armenian Red Data Book (2010). Its assessment for the European Red List suggest a status of Least Concern. Also the species is not included in CITES and Bern Conventions, which appears to be justified. Preliminary assessment of its conservation status for Armenia suggests it as Least Concern. Significant portion of its range is covered by National Protected Areas' system, by Emerald Sites, and Prime Butterfly Areas. Meanwhile a significant portion of its habitats is covered by community lands used for  pastures and haymaking. Obviously there is no necessity for development of conservation measures for the species in Armenia. In the same time it appears that the wide distribution and narrow specialization of the species can make it good indicator for the pasture management; therefore it is suggested its consideration for further development of grassland monitoring scheme at the country scale.

Photo: K. Aghababyan