Common Mormon

Common Mormon

Papilio polytes polytes Linnaeus PAPILIONIDAE

Adult

Upperside black. FW with terminal series of white or yellow spots, decreasing in size towards the apex. HW with complete discal band of elongate white spots, more prominent in female. Ending in a red lunule in the tornal region and submarginal series of crimson lunules in female. Wingspan 90-100mm.

The female of this black bodied swallowtail occurs in three different colour forms; one resembling the male and the other two mimicking the 2 red bodied swallowtails; the common Rose, P.aristolochiae and the Crimson Rose, P. hector.

Most common swallowtail butterfly occurring near human habitations, especially in the gardens and fields cultivated with curry-leaf, orange, lemons, etc. occurs everywhere in open woods and gardens at low elevations. Flies close to the ground among bushes, hedges, but does not come to wet places. Male swift flier than female. One of the most interesting butterflies and an excellent candidate for both field and genetic studies. Visits flowers of Dividivi, Acacias, Cassia spp, etc.

Larva

Rich grayish green dorsally and yellowish at the sides, with an yellow head, black ocellus and yellow crest on segments 4 and 5,2 tubercles at both ends, white and red blotched bands and markings on the posterior segments.

Feeds on cultivated citrus, especially orange. Lime berry, lime curry leaf, bael, malay clycosmis, garden rue and other plants of rutaeae.

Distribution

India, srilanka, Nepal, Bhutan, china , Bangladesh, Myanmar, Malaysia, japan, the Philippines and the moluccas.