Giant blue swallowtail
We are delighted that Beate Moenikes has taken on the sponsorship of the giant blue swallowtail (Papilio zalmoxis).
This male specimen from the swallowtail family (Papilionidae) has a wingspan of around 15 cm (!). From Liberia in the west of the African continent to the Democratic Republic of Congo in Central Africa, these beautifully coloured butterflies are at home in the rainforests. The males can be observed there quite frequently, while the females of the butterfly species, also known as the "Zalmoxis Swallowtail", are rarely seen.