Papilio demoleus

Papilio demoleus Linnaeus, 1758
PAPILIONIDAE
Lime or Chequered Swallowtail

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

(updated 25 April 2010)

Papilio demoleus
early instar
(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

The Caterpillars of this species are varied in their colouring, in early instars but often become green in later instars. They often have a pale line each side just above the legs. Early instars have short spines along the body, and longer ones on the thorax and ninth abdominal segment. In later instars these spines degenerate to coloured knobs.

late instar
(Photo: courtesy of Peter Samson)

In Australia the caterpillars feed on various plants in FABACEAE such as

Emu Foot ( Cullen tenax ),

Tall Verbine ( Cullen australasicum ),

Annual Verbine ( Cullen cinereum ),

Spreading Scurf Pea ( Cullen patens ),

African Scurf Pea ( Psoralea pinnata ),

and plants in RUTACEAE such as :

Lemon ( Citrus limon ),

Tangerine ( Citrus reticulata ),

Wild Orange ( Microcitrus australis ), and

Curry Leaf Tree, ( Murraya koenigii ).

(Photo courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

The Caterpillar grows to a length of about 4 cms. The pupa is greenish-brown and attached to a stem of the foodplant by cremaster and girdle. It has two projections on the head and one on the thorax. Its length is about 3 cms.

(Photo: courtesy of Trevor Jinks, North Burnett)

The adult butterflies have buff coloured wings with wide black edges containing buff spots. The hind wings also have two eyespots: one red and one blue.

(Photo: courtesy of Todd Burrows, South Stradbroke Island)

The underside is similar with narrower and paler black markings. The butterflies have a wingspan of about 10 cms.

(Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

Usually seen rapidly flying in one direction at a constant height, they only occasionally land, and catching one is a real thrill.

(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

The eggs are pale yellow and spherical. They are usuallly laid singly on the upper surfaces of leaves of a foodplant.

The species Papilio demoleus occurs as a number of subspecies over much of tropical Asia, including :

Taiwan,

It has recently been reported in the Caribbean in

Puerto Rico.

Underside
(Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

The subspecies sthenelus is found in New Guinea and the whole of mainland Australia including:

South Australia, and

This species is featured at Coffs Harbour Butterfly House. Butterflies of this species may be purchased for release at weddings etc.