2-8-2021 SPACE MUSEUM, CUENCA - APOLLO BUTTERFLY (Parnassius apollo)

 The Apollo or mountain Apollo (Parnassius apollo), is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae.

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.

Habitat of Parnassius apollo in La Thuile, Italy, at about 2700 m above sea level

It is also present in some areas of the central Asia (Sakha). Typical of high altitudes, its range is from 400 metres (1,300 ft) up to 2,300 metres (7,500 ft), although it is far more present above 1,000 metres (3,300 ft).

This species requires specific climatic conditions (cold winter, sunny summer). It also requires wide open spaces (with a cover of shrubs less than 5%) and a large surface of lawns (at least 50%). The presence of the host plant for the caterpillars is critical.