Allancastria cerisyi
Balkan Festoon ( Zerynthia Cerisy )
The Balkan Festoon ( Zerynthia ( Allancastria ) Cerisy ), also called Eastern Festoon, is a butterfly of the family of Swallowtail Butterfly ( Papilionidae ). The epithet honors the French entomologist Alexandre de Cérisy.
- 4.1 Notes and references
- 4.2 Literature
Features
Butterfly
The wingspan of the moth is about 55 to 60 millimeters. The basic color is usually milky white to pale yellow. The forewings have a pattern of various black bars, bands and spots. The wing edge is drawn dark wavy. On the hind wings are in varying degrees of red and blue dots on the inside of the shaft drawing. Specific type is a short tail on Außenand in the wing center. The bottom shows a pattern of black spots on the front edge and red spots on the outer edge. The dark body of the butterfly displays on the sides of the abdomen reddish or orange spots. The legs are brown in color.
Caterpillar
Adults caterpillars are cylindrical and usually colored blackish. Bright specimens are rare. On each body segment, there are several skin pins provided with short bristles. These are reddish, yellowish or brownish.
Similar Species
- Festoon ( Zerynthia polyxena )
- Spanish Festoon ( Zerynthia rumina )
Both of these types are usually colored strong and colorful in the overall appearance. Because they lack the tail on the outer edge of the hind wings, they are clearly distinguishable.
- Zerynthia cretica
- Zerynthia caucasica
These two species show a similar pattern drawing and a similarly bright color, but also they lack the tail on the outer edge of the hind wings, or they are only indicated. Since Zerynthia cretica also endemic to Crete, where Zerynthia cirsy missing, there is no geographical overlap of these species.
- Zerynthia deyrollei likewise has a tail on the outer edge of the hind wings, but differs by the yellow legs.
Distribution and habitat
The distribution of the Balkan Osterluzeifalters includes parts of South East Europe, Cyprus, Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, and Iran and Iraq. The species prefers populated hot, dry, open grass meadows and shrub landscapes.
Way of life
Main flight time of univoltinen moths are the months of April to June. The caterpillar feeds on various species of flowers Pipe ( Aristolochia ) and pupate in late summer to a belt doll, which then hibernates.