Apollonius

Apollonius - Parnassius apollonius Ev.

This species of butterfly was first described in 1847 by the famous Russian entomologist Eversmann. The species is named after a Greek name.

It is a large, beautiful butterfly with a wingspan of 51–72 mm. The length of the forewing is 37—45 mm. The main background color of the males' wings is pure white, while the females have gray scales. Along the outer edge of the wings, there is a row of black spots with clear outlines. The black spots at the edge of the hindwing are mostly round, as are the red ones. The red spots on the wings have a dark border. Their number varies from 5 to 7 on each wing. The antennae, like those of all lepidopterans, are club-shaped.

It is found on well-heated rocky slopes in the foothills at an altitude of 400—1000 m above sea level. In the Kokchetav region, it is found in steppes on the slopes of hills and floodplain terraces. It produces one generation per year. The flight time is from May to the first half of June.

The caterpillar is black, velvety, with two bright red spots on each segment. It feeds on Pseudosedum lievenii, Sedum, Scabiosa..

Scientists sometimes named butterflies after ancient Greek gods and mythological heroes: Paris, Apollo, Machairodus, Polyxena, etc. Butterflies are among the most delightful living creatures among insects, delighting us with the charming beauty of their wings. People have created legends about them. The ancient Romans believed that butterflies were flowers plucked by the wind. Images of these winged creatures were left on frescoes by the Egyptians three thousand years ago, associating their life stages with human life. Psyche, the wife of the god Eros, was depicted as a beautiful girl with butterfly wings. Elves, spirits of the air that came to us from Scandinavian mythology, were depicted as little people with butterfly wings. According to an ancient legend of the Aztecs and Indians, butterflies carry our wishes to the heavens, and if you whisper your wish to a butterfly and then release it, it will surely come true.

Distribution: The butterfly is widely distributed in the mountains of Central Asia, Northern Tien Shan, Internal Tien Shan, and the Pre-Fergana regions of Kyrgyzstan.

INSECTS OF KYRGYZSTAN