The Southern Festoon (Zerynthia polyxena) is a butterfly of the family of the Papilionidae butterfly, with a wingspan of 50-60 mm.
Adults are active for no more than 3 weeks this in April and May. They can be seen in areas of the Province of Salerno, such as the Regional Park dei Monti Lattari.
The butterfly contain a toxic substance which makes it uneatable for other animals. The colouring of the plumage is yellow with characteristic patterns of black, red and blue, the pattern function as a warning for potential predators.
Being a species bound to open formations it is mainly threatened by reforestation.
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Notes
Higgins, L.G, Riley, N.D, 1970; A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Britain and Europe
“Monitoraggio del patrimonio di biodiversità. Analisi per la gestione delle risorse ambientali per la conservazione della biodiversità”, Agriconsulting spa per l'Ente Parco Regionale dei Monti Lattari