Papilio pilumnus

Papilio Pilumnus, also known by the English name Three -tailed Swallowtail ( " Dreischwänziger dovetail ") is a butterfly of the family of Swallowtail Butterfly ( Papilionidae ).

  • 4.1 Notes and references
  • 4.2 Literature

Features

Butterfly

The moths reach a wingspan of 80 to 100 millimeters. The forewings are brown-black to black. In the Submarginalregion, from the apex to the inner edge, is a chain of yellow, rectangular spots. The Diskalregion and the basal region are marked down to the edge of a yellow region through which the front edge traverse four broad, black stripes at regular intervals. The hind wings are black and have as the front wing a big yellow area. However, this encloses now only the basal and half of Diskalregion. This region, which extends from the front edge, two black stripes, which to those of the front wings are thin in contrast, however, a continuation of the two longest, black stripes on the forewings. In the yellow area in the Diskalregion, still in the cell, there is a black spot. The edge of the yellow area is towards the edge increasingly red. Directly on the outer edge there is a chain of yellow spots, which direction Analwinkel are increasingly colored red. Between this series and the yellow area there are several blue - green spots, fade which direction the front edge steadily. The outer edge is serrated so strong, so Papilio Pilumnus has almost three tails.

The underside of the forewing is very similar to the top, but the yellow is a little paler. The underside of the hind wing also has all the features of the top, which, however, are to a larger extent. The yellow is a little paler here.

There is in wing pattern no gender differences, both have the same wing drawings and the same body, which is black and has yellow stripes on the bottom.

Egg, caterpillar and chrysalis

The eggs are green. The caterpillars are green, have a yellow horizontal stripes at the transition from the head to the actual body and have the back part of the thorax indicated brown eyes with black spots. The lateral line is yellow with a brown zone underneath. The head is brown. The doll is light green or pink colors and has lateral elongated projections; also two purple protrusions on the head and a purple edge in the thorax.

Similar Species

Distribution and occurrence

The distribution area of Papilio Pilumnus extends from the southern United States (southern Texas ) through Mexico to Guatemala. It inhabits tropical forests.

Way of life

Papilio Pilumnus flies in the tropical regions almost throughout the year in several generations; in Mexico from March to October. The moths suck nutrients from puddles and wet spots. The food plants of the caterpillars are leaves of laurel family ( Lauraceae ), eg the genus Litsea.

Swell

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