Cressida cressida

Cressida cressida (Fabricius, 1775)
Clearwing Swallowtail or Big Greasy
PAPILIONIDAE

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

(updated 6 May 2008)

Cressida cressida
(Photo copyright: Peter Samson)

This Caterpillar is covered in tubercles, and is mottled with dark brown and white. It feeds on various species of the genus Aristolochia ( family: ARISTOLOCHIACEAE ), including :

Aristolochia chalmersii,

Aristolochia holtzei,

Aristolochia pubera,

Indian Birthwort ( Aristolochia tagala = acuminata ), and

Australian Native Dutchman's Pipe ( Aristolochia thozetii ).

(Photo copyright: Peter Samson)

Eggs are yellow, spherical,and ribbed, with a diameter of about 0.5 mm. They are laid on a foodplant, and also sadly on the introduced

Dutchman's Pipe ( Aristolochia elegans ),

but larvae feeding on the leaves of this plant do not survive. Curiously, they can survive if they feed only on its flowers!

(Photo copyright: Peter Samson)

The pupa is brown with white markings. It has a length of about 2.5 cms.

male
(Photo: courtesy of Russell Yates, Bundaberg)

The forewings of the adult butterflies have black veins, with a black area around the base. The females have a black spot on each forewing. The males have two black spots on each forewing. The forewings are otherwise transparent. The hind wings are black with a white band across each one. They each have a red spot on top, and an arc of red spots underneath. In this way it mimics other Australian Swallowtails. The wingspan is up to 8 cms.

female
(Photo: courtesy of Karen Doyle, Townsville)

Initially the forewings are white, but the scales are very loose, and soon fall off leaving the wings transparent. The body is black except for a red tip to the abdomen.

mating pair
(Photo: courtesy of Karen Doyle, Townsville)

Various races of this species have been recognised in

Indonesia,

New Guinea, and

Western Australia, the Northern Territory, New South Wales and Queensland in Australia.

( Australia Post, 1997)

( Australia Post, 1981)