Papilio androgeus

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Papilio androgeus
Papilio androgeus, male

Papilio androgeus , male

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Knight Butterfly (Papilionidae)
Subfamily : Papilioninae
Genre : Papilio
Type : Papilio androgeus
Scientific name
Papilio androgeus
Cramer , 1775
Female of Papilio androgeus

Papilio androgeus in English usage also Queen Swallowtail called, is a butterfly ( butterfly ) from the family of the swallowtail butterfly (Papilionidae).

description

butterfly

There is a strong sexual dimorphism between the sexes . The wingspan of the moth is 134 to 140 millimeters. All wings have a black-brown basic color.

In the males, very broad yellow bands stand out on the upper side of the fore and hind wings. On the outer edge of the hind wings there are indistinct yellowish and bluish spots that are sometimes missing. The underside shows a pattern similar to that of the forewings, but is much paler and more indistinct, while the spots on the outer edges are somewhat stronger.

The females are more variable in terms of drawing elements. They often have large white spots on the dark upper side of the forewing, which can, however, also be completely absent. The hind wings shimmer more or less metallic blue or turquoise and show blue-green spots on the outer edge. On the brownish underside of the wing there are three rows on the outer edge of the hind wings, which are formed from crescent-shaped red, blue and yellow spots.

Both sexes show five to six narrow, blackish tails without drawing on the hind wings, one of which is somewhat elongated.

Caterpillar, pupa

Adult caterpillars are olive-green to black-brown in color. An orange line can be seen in the neck area. In the middle of the body a green-white, saddle-shaped thickening stands out. There are also some small warts on the back that show bluish spots.

The doll is dark brown and has cream-colored vertical stripes. The wing sheaths shimmer green.

Similar species

In the males, Papilio androgeus differs from other Papilio species by the much wider yellow bands on the upper side and the lack of yellow spots on the outer edge of the forewing. The females can be distinguished by the blue-green spots on the outer edge of the underside of the hind wing and the many unmarked tails.

distribution and habitat

Papilio androgeus is widespread in Central and South America. The species has also been found in Florida since 1976 . It prefers to colonize tropical and subtropical forests.

Way of life

The moths form several generations per year, which can be found from March to September. They like to visit different flowers to take in nectar or take in liquids and minerals in damp places on the earth. The caterpillars feed on the leaves of various diamond plants (Rutaceae), such as citrus plants ( Citrus ) and Zanthoxylum . In Latin America mandarins ( Citrus reticulata ) are preferred , in Florida oranges ( Citrus  ×  sinensis ). Pupation takes place as a belt doll . This is often attached to thin trunks and then gives it the appearance of a dry, broken branch. The last generation pupae overwinter.

Subspecies

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Butterflies and Moths of North America http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Papilio-androgeus
  2. ↑ a b c James A. Scott: The Butterflies of North America: A Natural History and Field Guide. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 1986, ISBN 0-8047-2013-4 , p. 179
  3. ↑ Distribution http://www.nic.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/papilionidae/papilioninae/papilio/index.html#androgeus

literature

  • James A. Scott: The Butterflies of North America , Stanford University Press, Stanford CA., 1992, ISBN 0-8047-2013-4 , p. 179

Web links

Commons : Papilio androgeus  - collection of images, videos and audio files