the beautiful moss-green mottling on Papilio palinurus

A green flash is all one mostly sees of this swift-flying swallowtail. Up close, this butterfly is peppered with green scales either side of the main bands. It belongs to a large group of Asian swallowtails that all have green or blue irridescence. The adult butterfly rarely last longer than a week.

Name: Green-banded Swallowtail

Latin: Papilio palinurus

Family: Papilionidae

Origin: S.E. Asia

Food plant: Citrus Family

thumbnail for green-banded swallowtail front view
Thumbnail Green-banded Swallowtail view from behind