Exceptional Swallowtail

The Common Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) is one of the most stunning butterflies in the north of Europe. It really looks too exotic to be flying even north of the Arctic circle…but it does. Normal years we get them from mid- late May. The cold period in May delayed them a bit this year, but they had  a very strong season anyhow. Yesterday - 2 months after the first generation started to fly - a see a newly hatched specimen in the Black River valley. I have never seen a 2.nd generation up here, although they regularly have one in the southwest of Sweden. At the same time my garden is full of Small tortoiseshell caterpillars. They normally don´t produce a 2.nd generation either. Just another 2 examples of a very different butterfly season and maybe climate related.