Papilio anactus

Papilio anactus W.S.Macleay, 1826
(previously known as : Elleppone anactus)
Dainty or Dingy Swallowtail
PAPILIONIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

(updated 6 July 2007)

Papilio anactus

These Caterpillars hatch from cream coloured eggs, laid singly on the young shoots of the foodplant. They are commonly found on cultivated Citrus, such as :

Kaffir Lime ( Citrus histrix ),

Lemon ( Citrus limon ),

Grapefruit ( Citrus paradisi ),

Madarin ( Citrus reticulata ),

Orange ( Citrus sinensis ),

Wood Apple ( Limonia acidissima ), and

Hardy Orange ( Poncirus trifoliata ),

and also the Australian native plants:

Wild Orange ( Citrus australis ),

Large Leaf Lime ( Citrus inodora ),

Desert Lime ( Eremocitrus glauca ),

Australian Willow ( Geijera parviflora ),

Finger Lime ( Microcitrus australasica ), and

all in RUTACEAE.

(Specimen: courtesy of Fred Swindley, West Ryde, Sydney)

The early instars are kite shaped, and coloured dark blue with orange spots. The body surface is covered by small fleshy spikes.

(Specimen: courtesy of Robert Whyte, The Gap, Brisbane)

The later instars are cylindrical with short knob-like spines. They reach a length of 4 centimetres, and are coloured dark blue, with yellow, white and orange spots.


( Photo: courtesy of Alex Peters and Heath Dillon )	(Photo: courtesy of Bruce Anstee)

When disturbed, all instars evert an orange osmeterium from just behind the head producing a decaying citrus smell. The smell is produced by a fluid secreted from glands near the base of the osmeterium. The Caterpillar aims the osmeterium towards the disturbance, and the secretion may be more effective when applied directly to a predators skin. It appears to be harmless to human skin.

The pupa is slim with a bifurcated head rather like a pair of horns. It is green or brown, and secured to a stem of the foodplant head up, by a cremaster and girdle. Pupae formed in summer mature in about four weeks, but those formed in March or April may stay dormant throughout the whole winter. The pupa has a length of about 3 cms.

(Photo: courtesy of Ted Cadwallader)

The adult butterflies have a wing span around 7 cms. They are black and white, with red and smaller blue spots on the margin of each hindwing. These spots appear to mimic other Australian Swallowtails. The males establish territories which are strenuously defended, an interesting spectacle to watch. The unusual thing is the same territories will be used year after year.

The eggs are pale yellow and spherical. They are laid singly on the undersides near the edge of young leaves of a foodplant.

The species is commonly found all over the east of mainland Australia, including

Queensland,

New South Wales,

Victoria, and

South Australia.

Butterflies of this species may be purchased for release at weddings etc.