Butterflies of Slovakia .

On June 26, 2002, Slovakia Post issued the butterfly stamp series features the species like as : Southern Festoon , Old World Swallowtail, European Peacock.

The issuance presented in one miniature sheet, three single stamps, FDC (First Day Cover) and Maximum card.

Southern Festoon - Zerynthia polyxena

It is common in the warmest areas of Central Europe, in steppe and forest-steppe stands up to 900 meters above the sea level, where the Calico Rower (Aristolochia) - food plant for caterpillars - grows. Southern Festoon has a local occurrence. Butterfly is striking with its bright colours. It flies from March to June. Today, it is becoming extinct at many places because its food plant appears rarely.It belongs to protected species.

European Peacock – Inachis Io

The European Peacock (Inachis io), more commonly known simply as the Peacock butterfly, is a colourful butterfly, found in Europe, temperate Asia as far east as Japan.The Peacock butterfly is resident in much of its range, often wintering in buildings or trees. It therefore often appears quite early in spring. The Peacock butterfly has figured in research where the role of eye-spots as anti-predator mechanism has been investigated.

The butterfly has a wingspan of 50 to 55 mm. The base-colour of the wings is a rusty red, and at each wingtip it bears a distinctive, black, blue and yellow eye-spot. The underside is a cryptically coloured dark-brown or black.

Old World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)

Old World Swallowtail belongs to the most bright and beautiful, as well as biggest butterflies in Central Europe. It flies up to 2,000 meters above the sea level. It has two generations - the first appears from the end of April to the first half of June, the second occurs from the first half of July to August. The third generation can appear from September to October during warm seasons. It prefers flowery meadows, copses of clover and alfalfa at open hilly areas and lowlands. Generally, it is very scarce and it occurs in small isolated populations. Caterpillars live at wild carrot plants.
It is protected by law.