(Denis and Schiffermüller, 1775)
Southern Festoon
Description:
The caterpillars of the Southern Festoon live on various birthworts, such as Aristolochia clematitis, A. rotunda, A. pallida, and A. pistolochia. Because their food plants grow in different habitats, and because the caterpillars also have different food plants in different areas, this spring butterfly can be found in all sorts of surroundings. In the western part of its range, it can be seen in open places by stream margins, where the food plant A. rotunda grows in abundance. In the mountains, the butterflies can be seen in dry, sunny, rocky places, where A. pallida and A. pistolochia grow. In Austria, it is in vineyards on sunny slopes, where A. clematitis grows as a weed, that the Southern Festoon is seen. In Greece, the butterfly occurs in damp areas, as well as on dry slopes, according to the sorts of birthwort used as food plant.
The eggs are laid singly or in small groups on the underside of the leaves, where the caterpillars are usually also found. The caterpillars have a striking appearance. Otherwise beige with black spots, it has some orange tubercles on each segment, each ending in a black, spiny tuft.
The Southern Festoon is single-brooded and hibernates as chrysalis.
Habitat:
Dry calcareous grasslands
Mesophile grasslands
Humid grasslands
Similar species:
Zerynthia rumina
Zerynthia cerisy
Zerynthia cretica