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The Gran Paradiso National Park is in the northwest corner of
the Italian Alps. Its scenic splendours – including the
highest Italian mountain, for which it is named – are well
known, as are the alpine flowers that bloom in the spring and
summer. Not so well known, though, are the butterflies of the
region, which number dozens of species, some of them found nowhere
else.
The greatest prize is the Apollo, a large white butterfly with
deep red eyespots on its lower wings. This species is related
to the swallowtail, which also occurs here. Both live mainly
in the lower valleys along with other meadow species such as
the black-veined white, several blues, coppers, skippers and
ringlets and a selection of fritillaries, such as Titania’s,
heath, false heath, pearl-bordered and dark green. At higher
elevations a different set of species takes over, some of them
local in occurrence. They include the peak white, moorland clouded
yellow, mountain fritillary and the alpine grizzled skipper.
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