Four-barred Swordtail Protographium leosthenes
Wingspan: 49 - 53mm
Sighted at Claire Cottage : January 2017
(Note two subspecies are known: Protographium leosthenes & Protographium geimbia)
Distribution: Cape York Penisula, FNQ to Taree District NSW (Protographium leosthenes) & The north of NT. (Protographium geimbia).
Status Dorrigo Plateau: rare
Status Claire Cottage: rare (as at 10/04/21 two sightings only)
Sighted but not yet photographed at Claire Cottage - as conservationists we regret that one of the photographs we show below, all of which have been made available to us, is of a pinned specimen.
Wingspan: 49 - 53mm
Sighted at Claire Cottage : January 2017
(Note two subspecies are known: Protographium leosthenes & Protographium geimbia)
Distribution: Cape York Penisula, FNQ to Taree District NSW (Protographium leosthenes) & The north of NT. (Protographium geimbia).
Status Dorrigo Plateau: rare
Status Claire Cottage: rare (as at 10/04/21 two sightings only)
Sighted but not yet photographed at Claire Cottage - as conservationists we regret that one of the photographs we show below, all of which have been made available to us, is of a pinned specimen.
Newly emerged Four-barred Swordtail after the bush fires in late 2019, near Glenreagh NSW, (photo Darren Moffatt)
Wonderful that this lovely insect survived the 2019 bush fires in NSW. It was found on a steep rocky slope in unburnt dry rainforest surrounded by large burnt areas. Glenreagh, NSW. (Photo Darren Moffatt)
This pinned specimen was photographed by Bob Miller
Melodorum leichhardtii, Zigzag Vine planted on our property
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Melodorum. leichhardtii showing zigzag arrangement of leaves
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Four-barred Swordtail Protographium leosthenes
Wingspan: 49 - 53mm
Distribution: Cape York Penisula, FNQ to Taree District NSW
Butterfly Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: January 2017 (twice on successive days)
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: Nov 2006, 2014, 2015, Dec 2001,
- NEAR BY: Mount Coramba, west of Coffs Harbour (hill-topping) Nov 2008, 2010
Larva Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: None to date
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: None to date
Larval food plants:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: ANNONACEAE - Melodorum leichhardtii (syn Rauwenhoffia leichhardtii) (Zig-Zag Vine)
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: (as for Claire Cottage, not known to be growing elsewhere on the Dorrigo Plateau)
- ELSEWHERE: (as for Dorrigo Plateau plus) ANNONACEAE - Desmos wardianus, Melodorum rupestrum, Melodorum uhrii.
Breeding season on the Dorrigo Plateau: Thought to be September to April but not recorded as breeding on the Dorrigo Plateau.
Status Dorrigo Plateau: rare
Flight habit: Throughout the day, mostly flying high.
Habitat: Rainforest - subtropical.
Items of Interest:
In January 2017 Phil Gilmour, weeding on our remnant rainforest edge with Trev, was the first to spot this fast flying butterfly 'hill topping' on Memory Hill, the highest point on our property (840 metres).
The following day Carol sighted one too, this time flying fast above our flower garden area. It did not descend to feed on the flowers.
On neither occasion did these Four-barred Swordtails attempt to settle. Whilst we have planted eight Melodorum leichhardtii (Zig-zag) vines on our property over recent years they are slow growing and remain in juvenile form thus will not be attracting Swordtails to deposit eggs at this stage.
