Southern Swallowtail
Key facts
- Latin name
- Papilio alexanor
- Family
- Papilionidae
- Wingspan
- 56-70 mm
- Flight season
- May — July
- Host plants
- Opopanax chironium, Seseli montanum, Ptychotis heterophylla
- Conservation status
- NT
Appearance
The southern swallowtail (Papilio alexanor) is a handsome Papilio with a wingspan of 56–70 mm. In general it resembles the Old World swallowtail: yellow wings with broad black borders. In the southern swallowtail the yellow stripes on the forewings are narrower and more numerous.
The hindwings bear a blue arc, a red "eyespot," and a well-developed tail. The underside of the hindwings has yellow and blue stripes.
Range and habitat
A Mediterranean species. It ranges from southern France and Spain to Iran. In Russia — only the Caucasus (Dagestan) and Crimea, at the northern limit of its range.
It inhabits dry rocky mountain slopes with xerophytic vegetation and wild umbellifers. Altitude 200–1,800 m.
Life cycle
One generation per year. Flight May–July.
Eggs are laid singly on umbellifers (mainly Opopanax and Seseli). The caterpillar is green with black transverse bands, like other swallowtails. The pupa overwinters.
Conservation in Russia
Listed in the Russian Red Data Book as extremely rare with a limited range. Main threats are disturbance of rocky biotopes: grazing, recreation, and loss of wild umbellifers. Numbers are low and records sporadic.