Iberian Scarce Swallowtail Iphiclides feisthamelii

With names like "scarce" and "southern," you might expect this swallowtail to have a limited range—but surprise! This butterfly actually spans from Italy and Slovenia all the way to North Africa, appearing across southern France, Spain, Portugal, and beyond in a remarkable show of adaptability. Even more intriguing, scientists still debate whether it's a separate species or a subspecies of its close relative, the scarce swallowtail—making the taxonomy as complex as the butterfly's migratory patterns. This geographic puzzle is part of what makes Mediterranean butterflies so fascinating.