Adults fly over dry mountain slopes in May, June and July depending on the altitude.

The wing pattern in Parnassius species is inconsistent and the very many subspecies and forms make identification problematic and uncertain.

Structural characters derived from the genitalia, wing venation, sphragis and foretibial epiphysis are more, but not entirely reliable.

[3] P. apollonius is recognizable especially by the sharply defined black submarginal spots of both wings; moreover, in males there is hardly a distinct greyish vitreous marginal band, the edge being however a little more sparsely scaled with white than the disc and only anteriorly shaded with grey.

The better described ones include:[2] Parnassius apolloniusSv [sv] Swedish Wikipedia provides further references and synonymy