Scarce swallowtail

Iphiclides podalirius Today, 3 October

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

now adults on the wing 5 days

adults on the wing Insect here all year

The whole year

25 July – 8 October

the coastal calendar, shifted 24 days later for this region

Sitting the year outGetting readyYoung aboutYoung leaving

Where to look

Anywhere with blackthorn or an abandoned almond orchard; glides more than it flaps.

Worth knowing

Tied to Prunus — sloe, almond, wild plum — which makes it a good indicator of abandoned orchards recolonised by scrub. Where the terraces get cleared for new planting, this is the first butterfly to go.

Look it up

photos, sightings and recordings, off this site

iNaturalist — photos and where people are seeing it Wikipedia — Iphiclides podalirius

Regions

where this species is on the list

Dalmatian coastKvarner and IstriaVelebit and the DinaridesSlavonia and the Pannonian plainTukhlia, Ukrainian Carpathians

Phase by phase

dates as they fall in the region chosen above

Phase	When	Length	What it means
overwintering	9 October – 12 April	186 days	The species passes winter as an egg, larva or pupa; no adult is on the wing.
going about the year	13 April – 28 April	16 days	Feeding, holding territory, doing nothing the calendar singles out.
on eggs	29 April – 18 May	20 days	Clutch laid and being incubated, or buried and left to the sun.
larvae feeding	19 May – 3 July	46 days	Caterpillars, grubs or nymphs feeding and growing.
in the pupa	4 July – 24 July	21 days	Rebuilt inside a chrysalis or cocoon; the animal cannot move or feed.
adults on the wing	25 July – 8 October	76 days	The new generation is out, winged and looking for a mate.

Other insects in this region

Buff-tailed bumblebeeCommon glow-wormEuropean hornetEuropean mantisGreat green bush-cricketHummingbird hawk-mothRose chaferStag beetleSwallowtailWestern honey bee

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