Scarce Swallowtail

“Scarce Swallowtail”… That’s this beauty’s actual name (well, it’s iphiclides podalirius if we’re being technical…), but it’s also known as the “Sail Swallowtail” or “Pear-tree Swallowtail” which I think sounds much more attractive.

The Spanish version, which isn’t anything like as scarce as the UK version that gives this butterfly its name, is apparently called the “Spanish Scarce Swallowtail” (imaginative that!) or iphiclides feisthamelii for aficionados - or the “chupa leche”, (the “milk sucking” butterfly!) in Spanish.

This one was flitting about the old Moorish fortress of Bentomiz near Arenas, but I also see them around the fire lookout station on Cerro Gavilán near Cómpeta, but the ones I see there are a tiny bit more yellow tinged (no idea why!).

Anyway, I’m pretty chuffed to have caught a proper shot of such a handsome fellow, especially as most of my butterfly efforts end up with either nothing or just a blur in frame!