Var, France, April 2018
Kozani, Greece, May 2004
Yellow female form ochracea
Field notes and information
This group of butterflies is very distinctive with gaudy dazzle camouflage.
Identification & Similar species: The dazzle markings are highly distinctive. There is only one other butterfly with similar extreme markings in Europe - the Spanish Festoon, Z. rumina. The ranges of the two species overlap in southeast France.
Distribution & Flight: SE France, Italy and eastwards to Slovakia and Greece covering all the Balkans. It is usually in some numbers when found. It is an early spring butterfly, found in April and May.
Habitat & Behaviour: In the south and at lower altitudes, hot dry places. In mountains and further from the coast, grassy herb rich meadows. I've found it once at around 1500m in Greece, but mostly it is below around 1000m. Larvae feed on Aristolochiae (birthworts).
Variation: cassandra: subspecies from peninsula Italy and Sicily, this is occasionally treated as a separate species based on differences in male genetalia. It appears to be darker than the nominal form.ochracea:form: females with a rich mustard yellow ground colour
Var, France, April 2004
SE Serbia, June 2012
Var, France, May 2012
Kozani, Greece, May 2004
Var, France, April 2018
Var, France, April 2018
SE Serbia, June 2012
Larval food plant.
Var, France, April 2007
Var, France, April 2004
Provence, France, April 2004, (f)
Kozani, Greece, May 2004, (f)
The orange yellow form ochracea is only found in the female.
Var, France, April 2007
Kozani, Greece, May 2004
Var, France, April 2006
Var, France, April 2004