Papilionidae : Papilioninae
Scarce Swallowtail
IPHICLIDES podalirius (Linnaeus, 1758)
Scarce Swallowtail
IPHICLIDES podalirius (Linnaeus, 1758)
© Michael Silvester
Life Cycle Guide-Imago stage only
Description
Alternative Names: Sail Swallowtail : Pear-tree Swallowtail
Wingspan: Male-60-80mm : Female-64-90mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : France to Southern Urals : Asia minor : Near east : Transcaucasia : Caucasus : Iran-S W Siberia : N W China
UK Distribution -
Flight Period: North of range-May-August-Univoltine : Centre and south of range-March-October-Multivoltine
Habitat: Small deciduous forests : Gardens : Rocky slopes & Gullies : Grassy places
Larvae: The larva spins silk pads on the leaves of the larval food plant.In order to trace their way back to the resting site they produce silk strands as they venture amongst the leaves.
When threatened the larva releases a fleshy organ called an osmeterium,a forked like structure which emits odorous compounds in order to deter predators.
Pupa: In order to provide maximum camouflage green pupae develop on the larval food plant but brown pupae develop amongst the leaf litter on the ground and enter diapause,a state of dormancy/hibernation to delay development during a period of adverse environmental conditions.
Overwinters as: Pupa
Behaviour: "Hill Topping" - "Males of the specie select the highest point on a piece of ground which will give them an advantage over other males, when females climb the hill looking for a mate." This procedure can continue for days.
Observations: The Scarce Swallowtail is a widespread butterfly throughout Europe to China and is locally common.
Although I. p.podalirius is widespread, it is absent from the Iberian Peninsula and is replaced by similar form
I. p.feistamelii which is greyish white in the male with a faint yellow flush in the female. It is also absent in the Mediterranean island of Corsica.
First brood have upperside ground colourpale yellow with a black abdomen whereas second brood individuals have upperside ground colour whiter with the black markings reduced,the upperside hindwing inner sunmarginal and post discoidal bands are narrower.
The larva are reliant on members of the Rosaceae family which includes apple,plum and almond and reputedly due to changes in agricultural policy the butterfly is decreasing in numbers in central Europe.
Wingspan: Male-60-80mm : Female-64-90mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : France to Southern Urals : Asia minor : Near east : Transcaucasia : Caucasus : Iran-S W Siberia : N W China
UK Distribution -
- Vagrant/Accidental
- Vulnerable - (protected in many European countries)
- Papilio podalirius (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Papilio podalirius (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Italy-Livorno
Flight Period: North of range-May-August-Univoltine : Centre and south of range-March-October-Multivoltine
Habitat: Small deciduous forests : Gardens : Rocky slopes & Gullies : Grassy places
Larvae: The larva spins silk pads on the leaves of the larval food plant.In order to trace their way back to the resting site they produce silk strands as they venture amongst the leaves.
When threatened the larva releases a fleshy organ called an osmeterium,a forked like structure which emits odorous compounds in order to deter predators.
Pupa: In order to provide maximum camouflage green pupae develop on the larval food plant but brown pupae develop amongst the leaf litter on the ground and enter diapause,a state of dormancy/hibernation to delay development during a period of adverse environmental conditions.
Overwinters as: Pupa
Behaviour: "Hill Topping" - "Males of the specie select the highest point on a piece of ground which will give them an advantage over other males, when females climb the hill looking for a mate." This procedure can continue for days.
Observations: The Scarce Swallowtail is a widespread butterfly throughout Europe to China and is locally common.
Although I. p.podalirius is widespread, it is absent from the Iberian Peninsula and is replaced by similar form
I. p.feistamelii which is greyish white in the male with a faint yellow flush in the female. It is also absent in the Mediterranean island of Corsica.
First brood have upperside ground colourpale yellow with a black abdomen whereas second brood individuals have upperside ground colour whiter with the black markings reduced,the upperside hindwing inner sunmarginal and post discoidal bands are narrower.
The larva are reliant on members of the Rosaceae family which includes apple,plum and almond and reputedly due to changes in agricultural policy the butterfly is decreasing in numbers in central Europe.
Subspecies
I. p.podalirius Linnaeus,1758 Central & Southern Europe
I. p.podalirius Linnaeus,1758 Central & Southern Europe
Larval Food Plants Worldwide
Note - Plants hyperlinked in red below take the visitor to the relevant plant page on"Plants for a Future" website
where further information like photos,physical
characteristics,habitats,edible uses,medicinal
uses,cultivation,propagation,range,height etc. are clearly listed.
- Plant Families - in bold red below takes the visitor to the relevant "Lepi-plants" page where other butterflies & moths using the plants below are listed.
- Rosaceae - Rose Family
- Crataegus laevigata - Midland Hawthorn
- Crataegus monogyna - Hawthorn
- Malus domestica - Apple
- Malus pumila - Paradise Apple
- Padus avium - European Bird Cherry
- Prunus armeniaca - Apricot
- Prunus avium - Wild Cherry
- Prunus cerasus - Sour Cherry
- Prunus domestica - Bullace - Plum
- Prunus dulcis - Almond
- Prunus padus - Bird Cherry - Hackberry
- Prunus persica - Peach
- Prunus spinosa - Blackthorn - Sloe
- Prunus virginiana - Chokecherry
- Pyrus communis - Wild Pear
- Pyrus longipes - Algerian Pear
- Pyrus spinosa - Almond leaved pear
- Sorbus aucuparia - Mountain Ash - Rowan
Larval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily Tribe: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - IPHICLIDES: Original Species Name: Species Names: Nominate Subspecies: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Subspecies: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Papilionoidea Papilionidae Papilioninae Graphiini IPHICLIDES Hübner, [1819] Iphiclides podalirius (Linnaeus, 1758) - Papilio podalirius (Linnaeus, 1758) - PAPILIO podalirius (Linnaeus 1758) = Papilio virgatus Butler, 1865 = Papilio podalirius decemlineatus Eimer, 1889 = Papilio podalirius nigrescens Eimer, 1889 = Papilio podalirius novemlineatus Eimer, 1889 = Papilio podalirius smyrnensis Eimer, 1889 = Papilio podalirius undecimlineatus Eimer, 1889 - Papilio podalirius podalirius (Linnaeus 1758) - Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title page : p.463 - Italy-Livorno,Tuscany - I.p.podalirius Linnaeus 1758-Central & Southern Europe-Not Iberian Peninsula/Corsica I.p.virgatus Butler, 1865-Lebanon : Israel I.p.persica Verity 1911 Armenia : Talysh : Kopet-Dagh : Tarbagatai |