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Papilio alexanor / Southern Swallowtail
Flatrabishtori aleksanor
Papilionidae - Papilioninae
Papilio alexanor Esper, [1800]. TL: Nice, France.
 
  
1a. Papilio alexanor, distribution map.  Historical data ;  Additional data from the 2018 update ;  New observations since the 2018 update.
1b. Papilio alexanor. Gjirokaster, Albania (© Anila Paparisto)
1c. Habitat of Papilio alexanor. Greece (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1d. Papilio alexanor. Greece (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1e. Papilio alexanor. Greece (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
Description
♂♂
Large butterfly. Fw: 31-33 mm.
Ups: bright yellow with black markings.
Upf:
four transversal black stripes.
Uns: similar.
♀♀
Similar, larger.
Similar species
Papilio machaon
Upf:
Large dark basal area.
No transversal black stripe.
Separate yellow spots in antemarginal area.
Black coloured veins.
Uph:
No transverrsal black stripe.
Unf:
Large dark basal area.
No transversal black stripe.
Unh:
No transversal black stripe.
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Life cycle
Adults: a single generation from April to July.
Egg: oviposition probably starting shortly after mating. The egg stage is short.
Caterpillar: 30 days. Early stages dark without a clear pattern, as from L2 with a black dotted pattern and at the endstage with orange markings.
Pupa: pupation on rocks and in crevices. Hibernation as pupa.
Habitat
Papilio alexanor inhabits hot localities combining flowery, scattered bushy grassland and nearby open ground with gravel, embankments or rocky places from lowland up to 2300 m a.s.l.
Spatial requirement high, population density can be high. Vagrant specimens can be found high in the mountains at the end of the flight time.
Foodplants
Caterpillars feed on different Apiaceae. Mentioned are Falcaria vulgaris, Ferula communis, Foeniculum vulgare, Opopanax sp., Pastinaca sativa, Pimpinella saxifraga, Scaligeria cretica, Seseli montanum and Trinia glauca.
Butterflies feed on all kinds of large flowers.
Distribution
Albania: local.
Balkan: AL - BG - BIH - GR - HR - NMK - MNE - RKS - RO - SLO - SRB
Europe: IB - IT - BAL - ALP* - NWE - UK - SCA - EEU
Asia Minor, Near East, Transcaucasia and further east.
Conservation status
Papilio alexanor is threatened by human activities (vineyards, quarrying, tourism, ...) and abandonment of rural practices.
Albanian Red List: VU B2b.
IUCN Red List, category at the Mediterranean level: LC.
Useful links
leps.it
Pyrgus.de
Lepiforum
Euroleps
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