Habitat Observation and Enhancement in Karteis (Salzburg, Pongau): Nectar Plants and Natural Grazing Keep Apollo Site Open
At the Karteis site in the Salzburg region (Pongau), a confirmed habitat of Parnassius apollo juvavus, the Apollo2020team carried out habitat observation and enhancement measures during a field visit in late June 2025.
To improve nectar availability for adult butterflies, the team sowed between 200 and 300 seeds of native flowering species, including wild teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) and creeping thistle (Cirsium oleraceum), across several sunny, semi-open patches. In addition, 40 Sedum plants were planted to reinforce the food supply for caterpillars, which have already been documented at the site.
A key observation during the visit was the positive ecological impact of goat grazing. A local farmer is now grazing goats on part of the site, which helps suppress shrub encroachment and maintain the open structure needed by P. apollo juvavus. As a result, no active shrub-clearing is needed this year.
This mirrors observations from another Apollo site near Burg Laudegg in Tyrol, where goat browsing has been successfully used to maintain open, rocky habitats just below the castle—ensuring ideal conditions for Apollo butterflies and their host plants.
Goats offer more than pasture management—they create dynamic, self-regulating butterfly habitats that remain open with little human intervention.
