Southern Festoon
Zerynthia polyxena
The captured form represents the recognizable adult Southern Festoon seen flying in sunny, flower-rich habitats. It feeds on nectar and patrols low over grassland, scrub, rocky slopes, and vineyard edges where birthwort host plants occur. Its bright pattern is a warning signal linked to toxins obtained during the caterpillar stage. Females place eggs on Aristolochia plants, tightly connecting the butterfly’s life cycle to these specific vines.
- Type
- Wing
- Conservation status
- NE
Growth chain
- ?
- ?
- Southern Festoon