Swallowtail
Papilio machaon Linnaeus, 1758
Status
Corfu Status: Present EU Red Data Status 2010: Least ConcernDescription
A large yellow butterfly with black markings, and a medium length tail on the hindwing. There is a dark patch in the basal area of the wing. The antennae are black and hooked. Male and female are very similar. The wing shape is quite distinctive though could be confused with P. alexanor, which has a straight, white-tipped antennal club, and the black markings are stripes, without a black basal patch. The submarginal black stripe is narrower and without scalloping.
Habitat Requirements
Found in a wide range of open habitats, e.g. gardens, grasslands, maquis and riverine environments.
Larval Foodplants
Dill Anethum graveolens, Chervil Anthriscus cerefolium - not on Corfu, Coriander Coriandrum sativum, Fennel Foeniculum vulgare, Kumquat Citrus japonica (introduced) Lemon Citrus x limon (introduced) Grapefruit Citrus x paradisi (introduced) Orange Citrus x sinensis (introduced) Lime Citrus x aurantiifolia (introduced). Most commonly encountered on Fennel in Corfu.
Observations
Most frequently encountered nectaring, where the butterfly supports its weight with continuous flight above the flower. Usually seen as singletons, it is particularily easy to photograph/video on blooms of the Aromatic Inula Dittrichia vicosa, in the autumn.
Flight Times
Key to Seasons
Spring (Mar, Apr, May)
Summer (Jun, Jul, Aug)
Autumn (Sep, Oct, Nov)
Winter (Dec, Jan, Feb)
First and Last Sightings
The information provided here is based on verified sightings submitted via this website since January 1st 2021. Data prior to 2021 is from external sources.
| Year | First | Last/latest |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 07/03/2021 | 25/10/2021 |
| 2019* | 26/03/2019 | 05/10/2019 |
Years marked * based on external data.
Number of Observations
| Number of sighting in 2021 | Total number of sightings |
|---|---|
| 93 | 93 |
Taxonomy
- Vernacular/Common Name: Swallowtail
- Family: Papilionidae (Latreille, 1802)
- Sub-family: Papilioninae (Latreille, [1802])
- Tribe: Papilionini (Latreille, [1802])
- Genus: Papilio (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Species: machaon Linnaeus, 1758
References
For a list of references, please see our bibliography page.
