FAMILY NAME: Papilionidae (sub/family: Papilioninae) GENUS/SPECIES: Papilio aegeus COMMON NAMES: Orchard Swallowtail, Large Citrus Butterfly, Orchard Butterfly
SIZE: Wingspan approx 102mm male to 108mm female. (about 4").
LOCATION: Uses a wide variety of habitat from rainforest to dry eucalypt forest. It ranges down the east of Australia from the coast, to west of the Great Dividing Range. As citrus orchards are planted, it's range extends.
LIFE CYCLE:
- The Eggs hatch in about one week.
- The Larvae, upon hatching, eat the eggshell as their first meal. In the two early stages they are brown and white, resembling bird droppings. In the third stage the colour changes to green with yellow/white markings. They feed at night, and stay still on the upperside of the leaves during the day. When threatened, the pungent smelling, red osmeterium is extended from the head. The laval stage lasts approx. 4 weeks, growing to about 60mm (2.5") in length.
- The Pupae are suspended from beneath a host stem. They are attached at the base and a silken sling around the mid-section. The colour varies, either grey, brown or green, to match the background. This stage lasts about 2 weeks.
- The Adults have different appearances, the females being larger and browner than the males. There are other differences in the markings as well. The image above is of a female, and the image below is of a male.
HOST PLANTS:
- Citrus
- Boronia
- Clausena
- Dinosperma
- Eriostemon
- Flindersia
- Geijera</li>
- Halfordia
- Leionema
- Micromelum
- Philotheca
- Zanthoxylum
- Zieria
GENERAL: These butterflies are generally slow moving, but haave a good burst of speed if threatened. The males generally have a range, which they patrol. The females stay close to host plants. When feeding the female will vibrate her wings. Both sexes settle with wings spread. There are three other Swallowtails in the same sub-family, they are; Dingy Swallowtail, Clearwing Swallowtail and the Chequered Swallowtail.
