Cleopatra butterfly

The Cleopatra butterfly (Gonepteryx cleopatra) belongs to the order Lepidoptera and the family Pieridae. While often admired by naturalists for its striking orange-yellow coloration in males, in specific forestry and nursery settings, it is recognized as a foliage-feeding pest that targets plants within the Rhamnaceae family.

The host plants for this species are primarily shrubs of the buckthorn genus. In agricultural landscapes, particularly in nurseries where these shrubs are cultivated for ornamental or ecological purposes, the presence of these caterpillars can result in visible leaf damage that impacts the health and visual quality of the plantings.

The biological development of this species follows a complete metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The females lay eggs individually on the underside of host leaves. The caterpillars undergo several larval instars, growing in size and consumption rate, which eventually leads to significant feeding pressure on the host plant's foliage during the summer months.

The extent of damage is mainly characterized by leaf tissue loss. Severe infestations result in skeletal leaves or total defoliation, which causes stress to the shrub, inhibits shoot development, and reduces the plant's ability to store energy for the subsequent growing season or winter dormancy.

Integrated management strategies for controlling this pest include:

• Visual inspection of host shrubs during the spring to identify and remove eggs.
• Use of selective bio-insecticides targeting young larval stages to minimize impact on beneficial insects.
• Maintenance of healthy soil and water conditions to help shrubs recover from defoliation.
• Encouraging natural predators such as wasps and predatory beetles in the surrounding ecosystem.