Abstract: Live butterflies releasing in non-native range may bring about invasive risk. Based on the Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA), we modeled the potential distribution of Papilio polytes Linnaeus and Stichophthalma howqua (Westwood) in China and studied the ecogeographical determinants underlying their spatial response, including climate, topography, vegetation, habitat structure and human impact. The results indicate that the main environments which limited the distribution of the two butterflies are corresponding with their ecosystem characteristics mutually, and the factors that influenced the range niche of the two butterflies are annual accumulated temperature and low winter temperature. Human disturbance plays an important role in the distributing range of the species. According to the habitat suitability map, the suitable areas of the two butterflies are overlapped, which are mainly concentrated in the central part and the southeast of mainland China with the spreading tendency from southeast to northwest. Based on habitat suitability index, we proposed feasible strategies to prevent from invasive risk： whenHSI≥50, the two butterflies should not be released outdoors; if 5≤HSI<50, limited outdoors releasing of the two butterflies could be carried out; and if HSI<5, live butterflies of the two species could be released in the open air and introduced into new territories.

Key words: Papilio polytes, Stichophthalma howqua, releasing in non-native range, ecogeographical variables (EGVs), habitat suitability, Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA)