Papilionidae

Swallowtails - Papilionidae

This family contains some of the most beautiful butterfly species in the world. Most of the 600 species described occur in tropical and subtropical zones, but certain genera, like for instance Parnassius, occur in temperate zones and may live in relative high mountains. Certain species are recorded up to heights of 4000 meters. The family also contains some of the worlds’ largest butterflies, and certain species of the socalled birdwings (for example Troides and Ornithoptera) may have a wingspan up to 25 cm. The “Queen Alexandra’s birdwing” female (Ornithoptera alexandrae) may have a wingspan up to 28 cm.

Old world swallowtail (Papilio machaon). (Photo © Lars Ove Hansen)

In the north European countries only four species have been recorded, and three of these have been found in Norway. In 1989 the Directorate for Nature Management voted for a total protection of two of the species, that is the Apollo (Parnassius apollo) and the Clouded apollo (P. mnemosyne), based on these species being included into the CITES convention, appendix II, on animal species which should be totally protected. The Apollo is included into the CITES convention and has for this reason been illegal to export from or import into Norway. The Old world swallowtail (Papilio machaon), the third Norwegian species, has disappeared from Denmark, and is likely to decline also in Norway. This is mainly due to drainage of marshes and wetland.

• Apollo (Parnassius apollo)
• Clouded apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne)

• Old world swallowtail (Papilio machaon)
  
  Clickable thumbnails of the Norwegian Swallowtails:
  

Parnassius apollo	Parnassius mnemosyne	Papilio machaon

30.10.2000