Swallowtail (Papilio machaon L.) is one of the most known butterflies of the Ukrainian fauna. Because of its specific behaviour, this butterfly is well-known almost everywhere. Swallowtails fly at the opened areas, along roads and highways, in the gardens, at the flowerbeds; they allow people to come near. In spite of this, the insect is entered in the Red Book of Ukraine and needs protection.
In most European countries there are different monitoring programs on study of number and spreading of swallowtail. You could receive more information on monitoring programs from this web-site. It is really important to establish such a monitoring program in Ukraine.
Ukrainian scientists have enough amount data about locations of swallowtails that covers almost whole Ukraine. But for the most territories this data is out of date. The need of permanent monitoring of this species is mostly entailed by reduction of number of wild parsley family (Umbelliferae) in nature that is feeding crop for swallowtails’ larva. As a result, swallowtails appear on cultivated parsley family (Umbelliferae) more and more often, so this requires permanent updating of swallowtails locations.
Therefore, we start the program of monitoring of swallowtail in Ukraine that could be supported by anyone who finds these butterflies in wild nature.
To participate this program, please read the information about swallowtail on our web-site and fill the questionnaire about swallowtail locations you found. The questionnaire could be downloaded and filled out on your computer. After that, please send it to: uabiomon@gmail.com or NECU, P. O. Box 89, Kyiv-25, 01025. Besides that, the questionnaire could be filled out on-line. Amount of information could be sent is unlimited.
This information will be processed and included to database that will be available on-line. Information about volunteers who sent the data will be saved and also promulgated. Later this data will be passed to authors of the State Cadastre of Animals of Ukraine and new edition of the Red Book of Ukraine.
Therefore you can make your own contribution in studying of swallowtail in Ukraine already now.