An Encounter with a Newly Emerged Citrus Swallowtail Butterfly at Home in Los Banos, Laguna

A newly emerged Citrus Swallowtail Butterfly 

Hanging by silken threads - the pupal case or chrysalis

The stout, green and horned chrysalis of the Citrus Swallowtail

The newly emerged butterfly holding on to its former metamorphosis chamber

Underwings with yellow scales, black lining and the distinct spots 

Preparing its wings for its maiden flight

Details of its club-tip antennae

Flapping its wings and displaying the vibrant colors and patterns 

Prominently black pattern with the red tornal spots of the upper wings

It was a lovely cloudy morning, in our home garden in Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines, my lovely wife, Elmira, encountered a stout, pale green pupal case on the wall adjacent her Calamnsi (Philippine Lime) shrub. I told her that it is the chrysalis of the Citrus Swallowtail Butterfly and encourage her to wait for the butterfly to emerge. After 4 days, early morning, we were overjoyed to see a newly emerged beauty, as if it was still waiting for us to showcase its radiance and capture amazing snapshots. After a brief moment of flapping and folding its wings, the butterfly briskly flew around and out our garden. It was a beautiful morning at home.     

CITRUS SWALLOWTAILS Papilio demoleus (LEPIDOPTERA: Papilionidae)

Citrus swallowtail or the lime swallowtail are large papilionid butterflies. The adults have a wingspan of 80-100mm. The upper forewing is mostly black with its outer margins bearing a series of yellow spots. The upper hindwings has a red tornal spot  and a discal black band with yellow scales. The underside of its wings is pale yellow with black areas. Unlike most swallowtail species, wings lack the prominent tail. 

The pupa or chrysalis is stout, pale green and 30 mm long. 

Females lay eggs singly on the edges of the host plant leaves. The egg hatch in six day and the larva undergo 5 instars. Depending on temperature conditions a whole generation can take 29-59 days.  

DISTRIBUTION of CITRUS SWALLOWTAILS

The Citrus Swallowtail are widespread butterflies present in citrus shrubs and other host plants in tropical and subtropical regions of Southern Asia, from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, to Southern China, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia. Indonesia, the Philippines, New Guinea, Australia, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Florida in the USA, Jamaica.  

BIODYNAMICS NOTES

Citrus Swallowtail larvae are voracious defoliators of citrus shrubs. They consume large portions of the young leaf flushes. In citrus nurseries they are considered a major pests. 

In our home garden these defoliators are able to take a grand share of the leaves of our Calamansi shrub. Thankfully our shrubs are able to recover and grow more leaves. More available foliage for these awesomely beautiful butterflies. May they frequently visit our home garden and fill the space with their innate beauty.

Awesome creatures. AWESOME CREATOR!

Thanks for your support and careful attention. 

If you need Pest Management Training, Technical Field Support, On-Line and On-Site Consultancy, please feel free to send me an email: odelon.reyes@gmail.com