Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius)

Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius)

(also called Sail Swallowtail or Podalirius Swallowtail)

The Scarce Swallowtail is one of Europe’s most beautiful and recognizable butterflies. With its elegant, sail-like wings, striking black stripes, and long tails, it glides gracefully through open landscapes, often visiting flowering shrubs and meadows. Despite its name, in many areas it is not particularly scarce.

🦋 Identification

• Wingspan: 50–90 mm
• Body length: ~30–35 mm

Appearance:

• Color: Pale cream or yellowish-white wings with bold black vertical stripes.
• Hindwings: Long, narrow swallowtail extensions with blue and orange spots near the tails.
• Body: Slim, pale with fine dark markings.
• When flying, it appears large and light, gliding with elegant wing beats.

The Scarce Swallowtail is sometimes confused with its relative, the Old World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon), but differs by its paler wings, straighter stripes, and longer tails.

🌿 Habitat

• Preferred habitats:
  • Sunny open woodlands
  • Orchards and gardens
  • Hillsides
  • Scrubland
  • Flowery meadows
  • Vineyards and rural areas
• Found from lowlands up to mountainous regions (as high as 2,000 m in some areas).

🍽️ Diet

Caterpillars feed on:

• Primarily Prunus species:
  • Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)
  • Hawthorn (Crataegus)
  • Occasionally other fruit trees like plum, apricot, and cherry.

Adults feed on:

• Nectar from a wide variety of flowers:
  • Thistles
  • Buddleia
  • Clover
  • Lavender
  • Many others

They are frequent visitors to flowering shrubs and garden plants.

🔁 Behavior & Life Cycle

Reproduction:

• Up to 2–3 generations per year (especially in southern Europe)
• Females lay eggs singly on host plants.
• The larvae are green with lighter markings, well-camouflaged on leaves.
• Pupation occurs in a silken chrysalis attached to twigs or hidden in vegetation.
• Some pupae overwinter.

Flight period:

• April to September, depending on location and altitude.

Behavior:

• Strong, graceful flyer; often seen gliding and soaring in sunny clearings.
• Males sometimes engage in hill-topping: flying to hilltops to search for females.
• Frequently visits gardens, which makes it popular with butterfly enthusiasts.

🌍 Distribution

• Widespread in:
  • Southern and Central Europe
  • Northern Africa
  • The Middle East
  • Parts of Central Asia

Absent from much of northern Europe but expanding in some areas due to climate change.

🧬 Interesting Facts

• Despite its name “Scarce Swallowtail,” it is quite common in many parts of its range.
• The long tails on its hindwings may serve to distract predators, offering a non-lethal target.
• The butterfly’s scientific name refers to Podalirius, a healer from Greek mythology.
• Its flight is more gliding than the more fluttering flight of the Old World Swallowtail.

🛡️ Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Least Concern
• In some regions, populations are threatened by:
  • Habitat loss (due to modern agriculture, urbanization)
  • Removal of hedgerows and host plants
  • Pesticide use

Local conservation efforts include planting and preserving hedgerows and native shrubs.

The Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius) is a symbol of beauty in Europe’s open landscapes. Its graceful flight, striking appearance, and affinity for gardens make it a favorite among both casual observers and butterfly enthusiasts.

Common blue (Polyommatus icarus)

Common tiger (Danaus genutia)

Orange Tip Butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines)

Comma butterfly (Polygonia c-album)

Old World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)

Orange gull (Cepora judith)

Green hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)

Common copper (Lycaena phlaeas)

Mazarine Blue (Cyaniris semiargus)

Blue glassy tiger (Ideopsis similis)

Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius)

Download full size image The Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) is a charming butterfly species belonging to the family Nymphalidae, known for its striking appearance and widespread distribution across Europe and parts of Asia. Here's a detailed description: Physical Characteristics: The Small Tortoiseshell butterfly is of medium size, with a wingspan typically ranging from 45 to 55 millimeters. It displays a distinctive pattern of bright orange wings bordered by a black band with white spots. The forewings also feature a row of blue crescents near the outer edge, while the hindwings have a series of blue spots and a border of black and yellow. The undersides of the wings are mottled brown, providing effective camouflage when the butterfly is at rest. Habitat and Distribution: Small Tortoiseshell butterflies are commonly found in a variety of habitats, including meadows, grasslands, woodlands, gardens, and urban areas. They are distributed across much of Europe, including the British Isles, Scandinavia, and the Mediterranean region, as well as parts of Asia, such as Siberia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. They are particularly abundant in temperate regions with diverse plant species. Behavior and Life Cycle: Small Tortoiseshell butterflies are diurnal and active during the warmer months of the year, especially in spring and summer. They are strong and agile flyers, often seen fluttering among flowers in search of nectar and mates. The females lay eggs singly on the leaves of stinging nettles (Urtica spp.), which serve as the primary larval host plant. The caterpillars hatch from the eggs and feed on the leaves of the host plants before pupating and emerging as adult butterflies. Conservation Status: The Small Tortoiseshell is not considered globally threatened and is generally common and widespread throughout its range. However, like many butterfly species, it may face localized threats due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation caused by agricultural intensification, urbanization, and climate change. Conservation efforts focused on preserving and restoring habitats, protecting larval host plants, and minimizing human disturbance are crucial for ensuring the long-term survival of this iconic butterfly species. Overall, the Small Tortoiseshell butterfly is a beautiful and ecologically important species, valued for its striking appearance, graceful flight, and role in pollination and ecosystem functioning. Its presence adds vibrancy and vitality to natural landscapes and serves as a symbol of the rich biodiversity of the regions where it is found.

Common blue (Polyommatus icarus)

Common blue (Polyommatus icarus)

False heath fritillary (Melitaea diamina)

Common blue (Polyommatus icarus)

Northern chequered skipper (Carterocephalus silvicola)

Mazarine Blue (Cyaniris semiargus)

Chestnut heath (Coenonympha glycerion)

Lesser marbled fritillary (Brenthis ino)

Common tiger (Danaus genutia)

European peacock (Inachis io)

Green hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)

Julia Heliconian (Dryas iulia)

Mazarine Blue (Cyaniris semiargus)

Common blue (Polyommatus icarus)

Common blue (Polyommatus icarus)

Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius)

Old World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)

Common blue (Polyommatus icarus)

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