Citrus swallowtail
We are delighted that Judith Stephan has taken over the sponsorship of the citrus swallowtail (Papilio demodocus).
This butterfly is a butterfly from the swallowtail family (Papilionidae).
Its wingspan is 90 - 110 mm.
It is black-brown with yellow markings and has two orange-blue "eyes" on its hind wings. It lacks the appendages at the lower end of the hind wings that are otherwise so typical of swallowtails. Males and females are very similar.
The citrus swallowtail occurs in open landscapes from Senegal to Somalia and the entire continent south of there. It is often found there on citrus plantations, where its caterpillars feed mainly on citrus plants.