What is Apollo Butterfly ?

 Apollo Butterfly

It is one of the family of butterflies known as Swallowtails, not unlike them in shape, but lacking tail-like appendages on the hind wing which gave the family its name. The Apollo and its relatives are not brightly colored, most of them being white,, with spots and eye-like markings of black and red. They are, nevertheless, elegant and beautiful.

Where is it found?

The common Apollo is found in mountainous regions of Europe, from Scandinavia to the Alps and Pyrenees.It flies at fairly low altitude. However, its related species, alpine Apollo, occurs at higher altitude. About 30 species of Apollo butterflies are known, ranging through Europe and Asia to North America. Many are mountain butterflies and some species rang up to 20,000 feet in the Himalayas. Owing to their inaccessible habitat, some of the Central Asiatic species are extremely rare and highly prized by collectors.

Life History of Apollo :

The caterpillar of the common Apollo feeds on orpine, a kind of stonecrop. The caterpillar is black with red spots and when fully grown, spins a cocoon in which to pupate. Growth is slow and it takes two years to complete the life history. Its unusual habit of spinning, common to all species, is correlated with the need for protection from frost at high altitudes.

 Only the common Apollo habitually flies at low altitudes. Its bodily structures as a whole may serve as an alpine kit. Its body has a hairy surface. It is dark in color, which may help to absorb heat from the Sun. Its white wings with black spots are proportionately larger than in other butterflies, So exposing a grater surface to the sun's rays. They also assist in its unusual soaring habit. Its translucent scales assist the absorption of Sun's heat.

The Myth around its Name : 

Apollo butterflies are seen in the Alps soaring above hillside. Soaring flight, common among birds, is rare among insects. Apollo was a Greek God of the mountains and the vegetation and later the Sun God. All makes the choice of name for these butterflies. The god-like character is, however, marred by a North American Species, Parnassius autocrator. It is caterpillar, brilliant orange in color, gives off most unpleasant odor from just behind its head whenever danger threatens. However, all Apollo Larvae have an organ behind the head that gives off an odor, but this is usually faint and at any rate not unpleasant to the human race.