Swallowtail
Swallowtail Butterfly Facts
| Size | 50-75 mm |
| Speed | Unknown |
| Weight | Unknown |
| Lifespan | 2-4 weeks (as an adult) |
| Food | Flower nectar |
| Predators | Birds, spiders |
| Distribution | Asia, America, Europe, Australia |
| Habitat | Meadows, gardens, sunny slopes |
| Order | Butterflies |
| Family | Swallowtail |
| Scientific Name | Papilio machaon |
| Characteristics | Butterfly with extensions on the hindwings |
Characteristics and Features
The swallowtail is one of the largest and most striking butterflies in Europe. It boasts a bright yellow color adorned with a black lattice pattern and two red eye spots. The caterpillar is also unique: it has an orange "fork" at its neck. When it feels threatened, it raises this fork and emits a strong, sweet, and rotten smell to ward off attackers.
The swallowtail looks so exotic that it almost seems like a tropical species. I find it absolutely beautiful!
Silke from animalfunfacts.net
Name
It gets its name from the prominent extensions on its hindwings. These resemble the forked tail feathers of a swallow. Scientifically, it belongs to the family of Papilionidae.
Species
Swallowtails are quite diverse: there are 200-220 species. Most of them are found in Southeast Asia. There are also many species in America: tiger swallowtail, black swallowtail, spicebush swallowtail, and the giant swallowtail. In Germany, there is only one type: the Papilio machaon.
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution
The swallowtail is found almost everywhere: It inhabits Asia, America, Africa, and Europe, and even parts of Australia. In Germany, the swallowtail is mainly found in the south, particularly in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.
Habitat
Swallowtails enjoy sunny meadows, dry grasslands, field edges, and gardens where herbs and vegetables grow – especially dill and fennel. They prefer open landscapes and can even be found in mountainous areas up to 2,000 meters high.
Lifestyle
The swallowtail is a sun worshipper. It is diurnal and spends a lot of time fluttering from flower to flower. It is an excellent flyer, capable of covering long distances to discover new habitats.
Anatomy and Appearance
Size and Weight
The swallowtail is among the five largest butterflies in Germany. It boasts an impressive wingspan of up to 75 mm.
Wings
All swallowtails possess magnificent wings in a variety of colors: for instance, green-black, black-red, black-white, or blue-black. The wings of the Papilio machaon swallowtail have the following distinctive features:
- light yellow color
- black lattice pattern
- blue "moon spots" on the edge of the hindwings
- two red eye spots on the inner side of the wings
- two long extensions on the hindwings
Forked Tail
All swallowtails feature a "forked tail," meaning two long extensions that resemble the tail feathers of a swallow. They serve as a deception and help them survive attacks from predators. The extensions look like antennae and the red spots resemble eyes. Thus, birds and lizards may think they are targeting the head - but they end up missing anything vital during an attack.
Swallowtail or Sail Butterfly – What’s the Difference?
To distinguish between these two butterflies, one must look closely, as they are quite similar. However, there are a few clear characteristics that make identification easy. The swallowtail has a lattice pattern and a short, robust tail. In contrast, the Sail Butterfly features longitudinal stripes and a very long, narrow forked tail. Most notably, the swallowtail has red eye spots – while the Sail Butterfly has dark eye spots with orange "eyebrows".
Diet
Swallowtails are herbivores – more specifically, they are nectar feeders. They have a fondness for purple flowers from thistles, clover, lilac. The caterpillars feed on leaves. They are quite picky and primarily consume plants like wild carrot, fennel, dill, parsley, and cumin.
Behavior
Gymnastics While Drinking
Have you ever watched a swallowtail drink from a flower? It often flaps its wings rapidly while lightly resting its legs. This way, it remains ready to take off if a predator appears.
Senses and Abilities
Senses
The females employ multiple senses for laying their eggs. They rely not only on their sense of smell, but also on their sense of sight: They specifically look for certain shades of green and can identify the finely feathered leaves of dill or fennel by their shape. Only when the color and shape of the plant perfectly match their vision do they lay their eggs. Thanks to their highly developed eyes, the females can even see UV light. This ability helps them pinpoint the best quality plants for their eggs among hundreds of green options.
Impressive Flyers
Unlike many other butterflies that flutter about chaotically, the swallowtail can glide majestically through the air – almost like a small eagle – thanks to its large wingspan.
Lifespan
The lifespan of a fully developed butterfly is brief: only about 2-4 weeks. Most of its life is spent as an egg, caterpillar, or in winter dormancy as a pupa.
Enemies and Threats
Natural Enemies
Natural enemies primarily include birds, spiders, and parasitic wasps.
Humans
However, the greatest threat comes from humans. Intensive agriculture and the mowing of roadside vegetation lead to the disappearance of food plants for the caterpillars.
Importance to the Ecosystem
As a pollinator, the swallowtail plays a crucial role. While drinking nectar, pollen attaches to its body, which it then carries to the next flower, facilitating pollination.
When Can You Observe Swallowtails?
The adult butterflies are usually best seen from April to September.
How Can I help the Swallowtail?
Since the Swallowtail is quite picky, it requires specific plants. If you have dill, fennel, parsley, or carrots in your garden, feel free to leave a few leaves for the caterpillars. They will reward you with a mesmerizing dance in the summer.
This year, I have a perennial parsley (of course from the organic gardener). Who knows, maybe one day I will find a swallowtail caterpillar in it – and then I can watch it munching away :)
Silke from animalfunfacts.net
Reproduction
Hilltopping
To be seen by the females, the males fly to the highest point in the area and wait there. This is called hilltopping.
The Eggs
After mating, the female lays her yellow eggs individually on the leaves of the host plants. After a few days, the tiny caterpillar hatches.
The Caterpillars
• The "Bird Droppings" Trick
When the caterpillars of our native swallowtail are still very young and small, they appear white and black patterned – just like fresh bird droppings! This is a brilliant defense against predators. Later, they become green and black striped with orange spots.
• Odor Attack from the Neck
If the caterpillar feels threatened, it raises a bright orange fork (the osmeterium) from its neck. This not only looks fierce but also smells rotten to attackers.
• Color Is a Matter of Transformation
After molting several times, the caterpillar pupates on plant stems. The color of the pupa can vary. Depending on whether the caterpillar pupates on a green plant stem or a brown wall, the pupa can be green or brown, allowing it to blend in perfectly.
Overwintering
The butterflies live only 2-4 weeks and therefore do not overwinter. However, the pupae that form in late summer enter a winter dormancy. They endure freezing temperatures and wait for months until the spring sun "wakes them up". Then they can emerge.
Duration of development/phase:
- Egg: 3-10 days
- Caterpillar: 2-5 weeks
- Pupa: 2-3 weeks
- Adult: 2-4 weeks
The Swallowtail Is Related to:
- Apollo
- Scarce Swallowtail
Animals in the Same Biome:
Sources:
- Hierarchical morphogenesis of swallowtail butterfly wing scale nanostructures (https://elifesciences.org)
- Swallowtail Butterflies Use Multiple Visual Cues to Select Oviposition Sites (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- High-quality reference genomes of swallowtail butterflies provide insights into their coloration evolution (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
