Swallowtail and Birdwing Butterfly Trust

You can help increase Swallowtail & Birdwing Butterfly Trust’s entries into easyfundraising’s giveaway to win a £500 donation – every new supporter who joins is an entry! Sign up before midnight 25th October, it’ll only take two minutes: join.easyfundraising.org.uk/swallowtail-...

Genomic analyses has revealed that the Clouded Apollo actually comprises two species: Parnassius mnemosyne and Parnassius turatii. Genomic markers reveal a pronounced genetic boundary in the Eastern Alps, where the two species share the same habitat. www.ibe.upf-csic.es/news/-/asset...

How butterflies avoid being eaten by predators. www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

Purchase one of our exclusive Swallowtail pin badges with all profits going to the conservation of Swallowtail & Birdwing butterflies around the world. sbbt.bigcartel.com Choose from British Swallowtail, Queen Alexandra's Birdwing and Ulysees butterfly. Shipping worldwide. www.sbbt.org.uk

How about one of the worlds most iconic & beautiful butterflies for a #Leptember post today? The Rajah Brooke's Birdwing (Trogonoptera brookiana). This video was shot in Malaysia & we can't wait to go back there next year for more! @europebutterfly.bsky.social

3rd Anniversary of the Kinabalu Birdwing being declared as Sabah’s State Butterfly. www.sbbt.org.uk/latest-news/...

Here's a #leptember shot taken today in Bhutan, by our good friend Sonam. The stunning Bhutan Glory (Bhutanitis lidderdalii). Sonam actively monitors & researches these and lots of other wildlife & we're working on a second itinerary to complement our regular butterfly holiday - watch this space!

Today is the 'Bhutan Glory Meet' community wildlife event in Bhutan, which we're sponsoring. Another collective noun for this iconic butterfly could be, based on this photo taken yesterday - a 'meet or meeting' of Bhutan Glories. @europebutterfly.bsky.social @sbbtrust.bsky.social

A 'bank' of Bhutan Glories, seen today in Bhutan.

David Attenbrough's favourite butterfly Priam's Birdwing (Ornithoptera priamus). This is a widespread species of birdwing butterfly found in the central and south Moluccas, New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, Solomon Islands, and north-east Australia. www.bbc.co.uk/reel/video/p...

👉Read Dr. Paolo Mazzei's insights on the rediscovery of Papilio alexanor on the @pensoft.net's blog: blog.pensoft.net/2026/08/19/h...

🦋First stable population of protected #butterfly Papilio alexanor found in southern Italy (Campania-Basilicata border), previously unknown outside Liguria/Piedmont. New host plant recorded (Ferula glauca). Full research in our #openaccess journal👇 doi.org/10.3897/nl.4...

From now until midnight Sunday (BST), all orders placed through our sbbt.teemill.com site get free UK shipping automatically applied at checkout, no code required.*

Support the conservation of the British Swallowtail by buying exclusive Swallowtail merchandise from the SBBT Teemill site. sbbt.teemill.com/about-sbbt/

A well written piece about our recently published paper on the British swallowtail butterfly (Papilio machaon britannicus) phys.org/news/2026-07...

More on the historical record from Cambs here. @sbbtrust.bsky.social @patrickbarkham.bsky.social www.museum.zoo.cam.ac.uk/butterflies/...

Now thought of as a Broads species, the Cambridgeshire Fens were very much ita historical stronghold "Found in the greatest plenty, thro’out the Fens between Ely & Cambridge, but more particularly in Horningsea, Bottisham, Swaffham, & Burwell fens" Rev Jennings, 1780s

@patrickbarkham.bsky.social explains the genetic work on the British Swallowtail that SBBT has recently published with our partners in Montpellier University. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

New #OpenAccess research by @benoitevol.bsky.social et al. in #RESInsectConsDiv reports on the genomic distinctiveness and #conservation #genomics of the British #swallowtail butterfly (#Papilio machaon britannicus) doi.org/10.1111/icad.70102 #WholeGenomeSequencing

The Swallowtail and Birdwing Butterfly Trust (SBBT) challenges the conclusions of a recent review by Ingate calling for radical new strategies in managing the British Swallowtail (Papilio machaon britannicus). www.sbbt.org.uk/latest-news/...

A Whole genome study of the British Swallowtail (Papilio machaon britannicus) has been completed for the first time. @norfolknats.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @norfolkbutterflies.bsky.social @patrickbarkham.bsky.social doi.org/10.1111/icad...

One of the surviving Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) eggs found on Hemlock (Conium maculatum) hatched today. It took over 12 days to develop which is a little longer than 'normal' as a result of the recent cool temperatures.

Found our first Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) eggs of the year today- on Hemlock (Conium maculatum) #swallowtail

Happy World Swallowtail Day! 🦋 Swallowtails are some of the largest, most beautiful and rarest butterflies on earth 🌎 Help support our work protecting swallowtails globally by visiting www.sbbt.org.uk 📹: Video Bhutan Glory by Sonam Dorji

Don't forget to vote for #BritainsFavouriteButterfly Help us raise awareness about this spectacular butterfly by seeing it crowned #BritainsFavouriteButterfly britainsfavouritebutterfly.co.uk/butterfly/sw...

Lets Celebrate World Swallowtail Day on Sunday 14th June, 2026! Do your bit to celebrate the diversity of the swallowtail and birdwing family and to help protect the many species under threat. #worldswallowtailday #swallowtailbutterfly #birdwingbutterfly www.sbbt.org.uk/world-swallo...

The British Swallowtail is now confined to the Norfolk Broads where it faces considerable threats from climate change and habitat loss. Help us raise awareness about this spectacular butterfly by seeing it crowned #BritainsFavouriteButterfly britainsfavouritebutterfly.co.uk/butterfly/sw...

Queen Alexandra's Birdwing is into Round 3 of the #uproarchallenge and are now facing a tough opponent, the White-Rumped Vulture! Time to mobilize - the fun is only just starting! Please vote for the Queen Alexandra's Birdwing here uproar.indianapoliszoo.com

Round 2 voting is underway for the Indianapolis Zoo Uproar Conservation Challenge! Help the Queen Alexandra's Birdwing reach Round 3 for an even greater conservation prize! Voting ends 23 March @ 23:59 Eastern Time! You can now vote DAILY! Share & vote now! #uproarchallenge

🚨The Indianapolis Zoo Uproar Conservation Challenge is here!🚨 You can help the LARGEST BUTTERFLY IN THE WORLD, the Queen Alexandra Birdwing & the IUCN Butterfly & Moth #SpecialistGroup advance through Round 1! Round 1 voting: March 16-19 @ UproarChallenge.com #UproarChallenge

Voting has now opened for Round 1 of the Indianapolis Zoo Uproar Conservation Challenge! #Uproarchallenge Our friends at eButterfly posted this blog on why you should vote for the spectacular Queen Alexandra's Birdwing! e-butterfly.org/en/content/t... Vote here: uproar.indianapoliszoo.com

Check out this stunning limited edition print of the Queen Alexandra's Birdwing Butterfly by johngaleart.co.uk/product/quee.... John is very kindly making a substantial donation from the sale of each print towards the conservation of the Queen Alexandra's Birdwing in Papua New Guinea.

Visited Norfolk over the weekend for #WorldSwallowtailDay with my fellow trustees and advisors of @sbbtrust.bsky.social always feel very fortunate to see the Swallowtail (Papilio machaon britannicus) such an iconic species but under threat from rising sea levels and flooding of its habitat.

🎙️ Listen to #swallowtail experts @sbbtrust.bsky.social & @iucnbutterflysg.bsky.social in episode 21 of the ZSL Wild Science podcast: open.spotify.com/episode/68fzMl… #TheRuffordFoundation

Happy #WorldSwallowtailDay The SBBT team have been out searching for the British Swallowtail in the Norfolk Broads in the UK.

Celebrate #WorldSwallowtailDay this Sunday 8th June. Post your favourite pictures of Swallowtail and Birdwing butterflies with #WorldSwallowtailDay Checkout our website at sbbt.org.uk for lots more information about Swallowtails