【Digital】Scarce Swallowtail Natural History Print - Hand-drawn Iphiclides Butterfly Art

Hand-drawn natural-history illustration · Scarce Swallowtail · digital download (no physical item is shipped) I drew the scarce swallowtail for its stripes and its tails — pale cream wings ruled with parallel black lines, like a page of music for a large instrument, and two long blue-tipped tails hanging from the hindwings. When you see one in flight it looks larger than any butterfly has a right to look: a wingspan of up to 8 centimetres, the tails adding another centimetre, gliding on thermals over southern European hillsides with the lazy confidence of something that has been doing this since before humans were writing things down. The *Iphiclides podalirius* is the second swallowtail of Europe — the Machaon is the first — and where the Machaon is yellow and black, the scarce swallowtail is creamy white with black stripes. Despite its name, it is not actually scarce in most of its range: it is common through southern France, Spain, Italy, the Balkans and across to Central Asia. It is only rare in northern Europe, where it occasionally appears as a stray. The caterpillar mimics a snake's head — a threat display to deter predators — and feeds on sloe, blackthorn and related prunus species. SPECIMEN NOTES - **Scarce swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius)** — second swallowtail of Europe; common in southern Europe and western Asia, occasional stray in northern Europe - **Wings:** pale cream-white with **parallel black stripes**; wingspan up to 8 cm — one of Europe's largest butterflies - **Tails:** long hindwing tails with **blue and orange markings** at the tips - **Caterpillar:** mimics a **snake's head** — one of the most effective threat displays in European butterflies - **Host plants:** **blackthorn, sloe** and other prunus species; also hawthorn and related Rosaceae - **Flight:** March–September; two generations per year in warm regions; **gliding flight on thermals** - **Distribution:** southern France, Spain, Italy, Balkans to Central Asia; rare/occasional in northern Europe - **Similar species:** the Machaon swallowtail is yellow and black; the scarce swallowtail is cream and black — easily distinguished once known ON THE WALL, OR AS A GIFT At home this print suits a living room, a large corridor, a botanical feature wall, or any space that wants a piece of southern European summer in its natural history. The cream and black stripe pattern reads elegantly at any scale — from a small A4 in a clip frame to a large A3 gallery piece. In a natural wood or dark wood frame it is warm and substantial; in a black frame the stripes become graphic and contemporary. As a gift it is for anyone who has ever stood on a hillside in Provence or Tuscany in April and watched one of these sail overhead. It also makes a considered housewarming gift for someone who loves Mediterranean landscapes, butterfly enthusiasts, or naturalists with an interest in the southern half of Europe. WHAT YOU RECEIVE **4 high-resolution files — available to download the moment payment clears** - 2 PNGs at 600 DPI — one sized for US standard frames (8×10 in, 11×14 in), one for European A-series (A4, A3) - 2 print-ready PDFs at 600 DPI — one for each size group, pre-formatted for clean printing with no cropping needed - Both PNG and PDF available in both size families for maximum flexibility - Re-download from your Pinkoi account any time within 90 days HOW IT WORKS 1. Complete your purchase 2. Download the files instantly from your Pinkoi order page — no shipping, no waiting 3. Save to your phone, tablet or computer 4. Print at home, at a print lab, or at a convenience-store multifunction printer — 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Lawson in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan handle these files cleanly 5. Frame and hang PRINTING RECOMMENDATIONS **Best result: matte or semi-gloss paper.** Matte is closest to the feel of the original illustration — the texture reads as hand-drawn rather than digital. Semi-gloss gives slightly richer colour and more contrast. Paper weight: **200 gsm or heavier** for a fine-art feel. Standard 80–90 gsm office paper works fine for a casual print or a test before committing to a frame. For exceptional quality, look for a local print lab that offers cotton-rag or baryta paper at 240+ gsm — botanical illustration on fine-art paper is close to the look and weight of an original drawing. The files are sized to print cleanly at both metric (A-series) and US standard sizes without any adjustment. Take the PDF to any print shop and ask for it printed at 100% scale. SIZE GUIDE - **A5** — 14.8 × 21 cm / 5.8 × 8.3 in — desk frame, shelf, or small accent wall - **A4** — 21 × 29.7 cm / 8.3 × 11.7 in — the most popular size; standard frames everywhere - **A3** — 29.7 × 42 cm / 11.7 × 16.5 in — gallery scale; makes a clear statement on a wall - **A2** — 42 × 59.4 cm / 16.5 × 23.4 in — large format; feature walls and wide corridors - **8 × 10 in** (20 × 25 cm) — US standard; sits well with a mat in an 11 × 14 in frame - **11 × 14 in** (28 × 35.5 cm) — US gallery size; fills a standard frame without a mat All sizes print at full 600 DPI sharpness. There is no resolution loss at larger sizes. DISPLAY IDEAS - Natural wood frame for a warm, botanical feel — black frame for a more graphic, modern look - A single print beside a window or above a shelf in a kitchen - Two or three drawings in matching frames, side by side, along a corridor or bedroom wall - Part of a gallery wall: botanical prints sit well alongside maps, photographs and typography - Standing in a clip frame or thin acrylic on a shelf or desk, without a wall mount GIFT IDEAS A framed botanical art print is a considered gift for a housewarming, birthday, anniversary, Mother's Day, or Teacher's Day — for anyone who loves plants, cooking, nature, or botanical illustration. It arrives by instant download, which makes it easy to give at short notice: purchase, forward the file, done. FROM THE STUDIO Every drawing begins with biological study and close observation — the scientific name, the structure, the feature that makes this species itself. The work follows the tradition of European botanical illustration, where science and art are the same act. From a studio in northern Italy, near Lake Como. DIGITAL TERMS This is a digital download, delivered electronically. Files are available immediately after payment. Because the files are delivered instantly, all sales are final and non-refundable. A personal-use licence is included: print for your home, give as a gift, use on mood boards. Commercial use, resale and redistribution are not included in this licence. SUPPORT If a file ever gives trouble — wrong size, won't open, anything at all — send a message and it will be sorted. Response within 24 hours. Questions before buying are always welcome. © Fiurdelin · Original Botanical Art