Suwon Establishes 'Swallowtail Butterfly Ecological Garden' in Seoho Park

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jeong Jun-sung] Suwon City announced on the 30th that it has established a 63㎡ Swallowtail Butterfly Ecological Garden by consolidating two Aristolochia vine planting sites within Seoho Park to provide a habitat for the endangered Swallowtail butterfly.

The city installed structures within the garden to protect Swallowtail butterfly larvae and adults, and planted Aristolochia vine and Mentha, which are food plants for the Swallowtail butterfly. A pathway for observing the Swallowtail butterfly was also created.

The Swallowtail butterfly, designated as "Vulnerable" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, is an insect of the order Lepidoptera and family Papilionidae with thin, long tail extensions. Its hindwings feature a red band and 2-3 blue spots on the rear.

Though easily spotted in surrounding areas as recently as 20 years ago, the population has declined sharply as the Aristolochia vine, its food plant, disappeared due to river maintenance projects. The Aristolochia vine is the sole food plant for the Swallowtail butterfly and primarily inhabits areas around rivers.

Since 2009, the city has formed a public-private-academic governance structure with civic organizations including Youngbok Girls' High School, Suwon Agenda 21, and the Seoho Love Association to create Swallowtail butterfly habitats within Seoho Park.

The Swallowtail butterfly eggs hatch three times a year (April, June, and August), but the lack of dedicated protection facilities in Seoho Park has limited the protection of larvae and adults.

Meanwhile, the city signed a "Cooperative Project for Wildlife Conservation and Utilization" MOU with the National Institute of Ecology in May 2017 and has been conducting Swallowtail butterfly restoration projects as part of collaborative efforts.

A city official stated, "The Swallowtail Butterfly Ecological Garden will serve as a venue for learning about the importance of environmental protection," adding "We will continue our efforts to enhance biodiversity."