Papilio demoleus
WINGSPAN 8 to 10cm (3 to 4in)
HABITAT Gardens, parks, semi evergreen and evergreen forests, riverbeds
DISTRIBUTION Widespread throughout the Middle East, Asia, Australia, Caribbean, Central America
LIFESPAN 6 days
MALES AND FEMALES Similar colouration and patterns but the female is usually larger with a greyish-brown underside; male underside is grey
This may be a swallowtail butterfly but unlike the others, it lacks a prominent tail. Sometimes also called the Lemon Butterfly or Small Citrus Butterfly, the names hint at its favourite food source – citrus fruit, in particular the Key Lime plant (Citrus × aurantiifolia). Considered a pest, this aggressive butterfly has several modes of flight depending on the time of day. In the morning, flight is slow and laboured; as the day continues it picks up speed and flies low to the ground. At the hottest time of the day it’s usually found resting on wet patches on the ground. A common visitor to gardens, it enjoys basking on aromatic herbs and flowers.