FAMILY NAME: Papilionidae GENUS/SPECIES: Cressida cressida SUB SPECIES: none COMMON NAMES: Big Greasy or Greasy Swallowtail
SIZE: Wingspan approx 70mm (female) to 80mm (male) or 2.8".
LOCATION: They are found in coastal and sub coastal open eucalypt forests of tropical and subtropical Australia, where host vines are growing.
LIFE CYCLE:
- The Eggs are yellow in colour, with a ribbed elliptical shape and about 0.5mm in dia., and are laid on host plants.
- The Larvae are dark reddish/brown with white bands and are covered in tubercles. The head is dark blackish/brown. The maximum length of the larva is about 30mm or 1.2".
- The Pupae are brown background colour with white patterns. The pupae are about 25mm in length and hang beneath stems of the host plant.
- The Adult Butterfly has transparent forewings with 2 black spots . The forewings of the female are more creamy in colour. The hindwings of the male are dark with a central white band, and subterminal red spots. The hindwings of the female are cream, with dark lower half and subterminal white spots. The head, thorax and abdomen are dark.
HOST PLANTS:
- Australian Native Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia thozetii) a native plant.
- ??? (Aristolochia chalmersii) a native plant.
- ??? (Aristolochia holtzei) a native plant.
- ??? (Aristolochia pubera) a native plant.
- Birthwort (Aristolochia tagala) a native plant.
- Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia elegans) an introduced species that is TOXIC TO LARVAE.
GENERAL: Sometimes called "Greasy Swallowtail" or "Big Greasy". The introduced plant "Dutchmans Pipe" attacts the female to it, just as the othe host plants do. However, the leaves of this plant (elegans) are toxic to the larvae, and the larvae will die if they eat them. Strangely, they are able to eat the flowers without adverse effect. Their flight is relatively slow, and low to the ground.
