In mid-May, researchers from HabiProt in Novi Sad and the researchers from the Faculty of Science in Kragujevac discovered a new butterfly in Serbia—Papilio alexanor—within the “Zlatibor” Nature Park. This marks the first official record of the species in the country, bringing the total number of butterfly species in Serbia to 202. Papilio alexanor is considered one of the most intriguing butterflies in Europe.

Entomologists Dr. Filip Vukajlović, Kosta Reljić, Bojana Vojnović, and Miloš Kostić recorded the presence of Papilio alexanor in a dry and warm serpentine habitat on the lower slopes of the Uvac River canyon, just above the Uvac Monastery. A few days later, an extended research team—Dr. Filip Vukajlović, Ivan Tot, Milan Đurić, and Miroslav Miljević—reconfirmed the species’ presence at the same and additional sites across Zlatibor, establishing the existence of a local population.

Papilio alexanor is a typical Pontic-Mediterranean species, with a range extending from Spain, southern France, and northern Italy, through the Adriatic coast, Greece, Turkey, and Asia Minor, to the Caucasus and Iran. In the Western Balkans, records of the species date back to the early 20th century, but it had not been observed for several decades. Since 2015, it has reappeared in North Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. Due to the proximity of known populations in neighboring countries—such as the Nevidio Canyon in Montenegro and Raduša in North Macedonia—combined with the effects of climate change and limited research in Serbia, its presence in the country was anticipated, particularly in the Preševo Basin and the Pčinja Valley.

The Alexanor is one of the largest butterflies in Serbia. It closely resembles the Old World swallowtail in shape and coloration, while its tiger-like stripes and characteristic flight are reminiscent of the scarce swallowtail (check more photos in the Alciphron database).

It typically inhabits warm, open areas—especially gorge and canyon slopes—where its caterpillars feed on plants from the Apiaceae family. The species is often highly localized and confined to small habitats.

You can read more about the first confirmed sighting of Papilio alexanor in the Kragujevac Journal of Science. Additionally, HabiProt is preparing a new popular science field guide, “Butterflies of Serbia”, which will provide more detailed insights into this fascinating and important group of insects.