Iphiclides podalirius feisthamelii
Iphiclides podalirius feisthamelii (Linnaeus, 1758) Known as Southern Scarce Swallowtail.
Wingspan: Male 76 to 82mm, Female 80 to 86mm
Family: Papilionidae,
Flies from late March or April to the end of summer, can have up to three broods a year.
Long debated if a sub species of the more widespread Scarce Swallowtail “Iphiclides podalirius”.
After many years this taxon it is now accepted to be a full species.
The name "Scarce swallowtail", is not scarce in Spain, the name implies to the scarcity of United Kingdom migrants; (referring not to the Southern species) which is responsible for the English vernacular name.
The “Southern Scarce Swallowtail” differs as it is overall paler in colour, to the more widespread Northern European “Scarce Swallowtail”. The later species covers most of Europe except the most Northern countries.
Some recordings of a few specimens of the “Scarce swallowtail” have been reported from central Sweden and the United Kingdom. These were perhaps only strays, or from a breeder; highly unlikely to be migrants.
The “Southern” species is found over most of Spain (mainly the Iberian Peninsula), Portugal, south-west France and down to North Africa. Being very strong fliers and are among the strongest fliers in the butterfly world, covering large areas of ground in a very short time.
Habitat: Various places: up to 1500m, scrub-lands, woodland edges, grasslands, orchards, coastal and mountainous slopes, visiting many arboreal rosaceous plants in the genus Prunus, Pyrus, Malus, Crataegus and Sorbus. A regular visitor in gardens taking nectar, from a wide variety of plants.
The young caterpillars spin little pads on leaves which they adhere to quite firmly, they are dark in colour with two small and two larger greenish patches on the dorsal side. After a time, they are greenish with yellowish dorsal and side stripes. The summer chrysalids are mainly green, brown are the ones in hibernation. The hibernating chrysalids unfortunately fall victim to a wide variety of prey.
Read MoreWingspan: Male 76 to 82mm, Female 80 to 86mm
Family: Papilionidae,
Flies from late March or April to the end of summer, can have up to three broods a year.
Long debated if a sub species of the more widespread Scarce Swallowtail “Iphiclides podalirius”.
After many years this taxon it is now accepted to be a full species.
The name "Scarce swallowtail", is not scarce in Spain, the name implies to the scarcity of United Kingdom migrants; (referring not to the Southern species) which is responsible for the English vernacular name.
The “Southern Scarce Swallowtail” differs as it is overall paler in colour, to the more widespread Northern European “Scarce Swallowtail”. The later species covers most of Europe except the most Northern countries.
Some recordings of a few specimens of the “Scarce swallowtail” have been reported from central Sweden and the United Kingdom. These were perhaps only strays, or from a breeder; highly unlikely to be migrants.
The “Southern” species is found over most of Spain (mainly the Iberian Peninsula), Portugal, south-west France and down to North Africa. Being very strong fliers and are among the strongest fliers in the butterfly world, covering large areas of ground in a very short time.
Habitat: Various places: up to 1500m, scrub-lands, woodland edges, grasslands, orchards, coastal and mountainous slopes, visiting many arboreal rosaceous plants in the genus Prunus, Pyrus, Malus, Crataegus and Sorbus. A regular visitor in gardens taking nectar, from a wide variety of plants.
The young caterpillars spin little pads on leaves which they adhere to quite firmly, they are dark in colour with two small and two larger greenish patches on the dorsal side. After a time, they are greenish with yellowish dorsal and side stripes. The summer chrysalids are mainly green, brown are the ones in hibernation. The hibernating chrysalids unfortunately fall victim to a wide variety of prey.
