# Southern Festoon (*Zerynthia polyxena*)

The Southern Festoon is a beautiful butterfly with colorful patterns on its wings. It loves to flutter around flowers and is often seen in sunny places during spring and summer.

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Southern Festoon](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/DianeJLH.jpg&width=800)

Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DianeJLH.jpg)

## Appearance

The Southern Festoon has striking yellow wings patterned with bold black veins and spots, highlighted by bright red or orange eye-like markings on its hindwings. Its body is dark and fuzzy, providing a stark contrast to its vibrant wing patterns. These colors make it visually distinct from many plain-winged butterflies.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Insecta
- **Order:** Lepidoptera
- **Family:** Papilionidae
- **Genus:** Zerynthia

## Interesting facts

- It only eats a very specific type of plant when it's a caterpillar.
- Its caterpillars look like bird droppings to trick predators!
- Southern Festoons love to bask in the sun to warm up their wings.
- This butterfly is a 'living warning sign' to hungry birds.

## Special abilities

- **Poisonous Feast:** Southern Festoon caterpillars can safely eat toxic plants because they've evolved to handle poisons, which also makes them taste bad to predators.
- **Warning Colors:** Southern Festoon has bright red spots that warn hungry birds they are unappetizing because of the toxins stored from their diet.
- **Early Spring Flight:** Southern Festoon is one of the first butterflies to emerge in spring because it overwinters as a chrysalis, ready for early warmth.

## Measurements & details

- **Wingspan:** 40-52 mm
- **Size:** 15-25 mm
- **Lifespan:** 10-20 days
- **Leg Count:** 6

## Diet & Feeding

As caterpillars, they munch on specific poisonous leaves; as adults, they sip sweet flower nectar.

- **Age differences:** Larvae consume host plant leaves, while adults feed on nectar from various flowers.
- **Primary Foods:** Aristolochia clematitis, Aristolochia rotunda, Aristolochia pallida, Dandelion nectar, Thistle nectar
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** European Birthwort (*Aristolochia clematitis*) — The caterpillars feed exclusively on its leaves.
- **Pollinates:** [Dandelion](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dandelion) (*Taraxacum officinale*) — Adults visit its flowers for nectar, helping spread pollen.
- **Eaten by:** [Great Tit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-tit) (*Parus major*) — Though toxic, some birds may still attempt to prey on them.

## Traits

- [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always watch butterflies from a distance so they feel safe and happy.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Southern Festoon?

Compare the wing outline, spots, bands, eyespots and wing edges. The underside can look completely different from the top. Check for tails, the antennae and where the markings sit instead of relying on color alone. Butterfly Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### What is Southern Festoon's wingspan?

40-52 mm

### How big is Southern Festoon?

15-25 mm

### How long does Southern Festoon live?

10-20 days

### What does Southern Festoon eat?

As caterpillars, they munch on specific poisonous leaves; as adults, they sip sweet flower nectar.

### Where is Southern Festoon usually found?

Grasslands

### How does Southern Festoon hunt?

Foraging

### How many legs does Southern Festoon have?

6

## More Insects

- [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*)
- [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*)
- [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*)
- [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*)

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Source: [Southern Festoon: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/southern-festoon)