Apollo

Appearance

"Parnassius apollo" has a wingspan of 62–86 millimetres in males, of 65–95 millimetres in females. The Apollo butterfly shows a great deal of individual variation in the appearance, with an evident colour polymorphism. These very very large, beautiful and conspicuous white butterflies are decorated with five large black eyespots on the forewing and two bright red or sometimes orange eyespots on the hindwing. These striking red eyespots can vary in size and form depending on the location of the Apollo butterfly, and the bright red colour often fades in the sun, causing the eyespots of older individuals to appear more orange. The wings are shiny, with slightly transparent edges, and some individuals are darker; a general phenomenon common in many butterflies. The caterpillars of this species are velvety black with orange-red spots along the sides.

Related species can be found all over the world. The clouded Apollo lives in the valleys. while the small Apollo is found in the high mountains. The latter one has strongly marked black and white antennae, with presence of two red spots near the apex of forewings.

Naming

The species is named in the classical tradition for the deity Apollo.

Habitat

This typically mountain species prefers hills and flowery alpine meadows and pastures of the continental European mountains, in Spain, Scandinavia and Central Europe, in the Balkans up to northern Greece and in the Alps between Italy and France.

It is also present in some areas of the central Asia. Typical of high altitudes, its range is from 400 metres up to 2,300 metres, although it is far more present above 1,000 metres.