Macleay's Swallowtail Graphium macleayanus macleayanus
Wingspan: 53 - 59mm
Sighted Claire Cottage: Jan to Dec
There are two subspecies of this predominantly highland butterfly, Graphium macleayanus macleayanus (restricted to QLD & NSW) and Graphium macleayanus moggana found mostly in the montane areas of VIC & TAS.
Distribution: Qld, NSW, ACT, VIC & TAS
Status Claire Cottage: common
Status Dorrigo Plateau: common
NOTE: Similar species: None
Wingspan: 53 - 59mm
Sighted Claire Cottage: Jan to Dec
There are two subspecies of this predominantly highland butterfly, Graphium macleayanus macleayanus (restricted to QLD & NSW) and Graphium macleayanus moggana found mostly in the montane areas of VIC & TAS.
Distribution: Qld, NSW, ACT, VIC & TAS
Status Claire Cottage: common
Status Dorrigo Plateau: common
NOTE: Similar species: None
Macleay's Swallowtail on Brassica flowers in the vegie garden, 28 Aug 2015, 12.52 pm
This picture shows the proboscis dipping into an Eriostemon flower, 4 Sep 2016 11.35 am
Claire Cottage Dorrigo, 24 Oct 2016
Egg laid on Sassafras - she just missed a new soft leaf! 31 Dec 2019, Claire Cottage Dorrigo NSW
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The same egg on left after 5 days
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Macleay's Swallowtail egg laid on underside of a Cryptocarya obovata leaf, 10 Mar 2015
1st instar larva measures 2 mm, 19.1.2019
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Parasitised egg laid on underside of Doryphora sassafras, Claire Cottage Dorrigo Plateau, Jan 2019
1st instar larva, 20 Jan 2019
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2nd instar larva, 24 Jan 2019
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3rd instar larva, 29 Jan 2019
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4th instar larva, 19 Jan 2019
5th instar larva on Sassafras in our regeneration area, 20 Mar 2016
5th instar larva, 6 Feb 2019
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4th instar larva, 19 Jan 2019
5th instar larva - note the web it has spun on the leaf to sit on, 6 Feb 2019
5th instar larva, 6 Feb 2019
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Pupated 22-23 Feb 2019
A newly hatched butterfly still growing its wings, Claire Cottage Dorrigo, 17 Oct 2019
Claire Cottage Dorrigo, 4 Oct 2008, 4.55 pm
Macleay's Swallowtail Graphium macleayanus macleayanus
Wingspan: 53 - 59mm
Sighted Claire Cottage: Jan to Dec
There are two subspecies of this predominantly highland butterfly, Graphium macleayanus macleayanus (restricted to QLD & NSW) and Graphium macleayanus moggana found mostly in the montane areas of VIC & TAS.
Distribution: Qld, NSW, ACT, VIC & TAS
NOTE: Similar species: None
Butterfly Sightings:
Larva Sightings:
Larval food plants:
Possible Larval Food Plants: Other Trees we have planted which may prove to provide food for Macleay's Swallowtail caterpillars are: LAURACEAE - Cryptocarya glaucescens (Jackwood), C. meisneriana (Thick-leaved laurel), WINTERACEAE - Tasmannia insipidia (Brush Pepper Bush).
Breeding season on the Dorrigo Plateau: Thought to be September to May (but could be longer)
Sighted: All year, sometimes our most common butterfly with as many as 5 or 6 in the garden together
Larva Sightings: Early May 2019- 2nd instar larva on Doryphora sassafras - 16/05/19 enters 3td instar, now rests on upper surface of leaf rather than the under surface as in 1st & 2nd instar.
Status Claire Cottage & Dorrigo Plateau: common
Flight habit: Throughout the day.
Winter Sightings: 26/06/21,
Habitat where found at Claire Cottage: Rainforest edge
Known to be breeding at Claire Cottage: Yes
Items of Interest:
These beautiful green, black and white fast flying Swallowtail butterflies bring us joy in the garden all through the year. We see them daily in summer, often here all day, and whilst less common in winter we see them during every month of the year. In the colder months when butterflies are scarce, the Macleay's Swallowtails feed on the small flowers like Forget-me-nots, Bluebells and Primulas and Eriostemons as soon as they come in to flower, fluttering their wings constantly whilst feeding to keep their balance. In summer their favourite food is our Buddleias and often they disturb each other on flowers before racing away in a chase activity sometimes with 3 or 4 of them joining in.
Wingspan: 53 - 59mm
Sighted Claire Cottage: Jan to Dec
There are two subspecies of this predominantly highland butterfly, Graphium macleayanus macleayanus (restricted to QLD & NSW) and Graphium macleayanus moggana found mostly in the montane areas of VIC & TAS.
Distribution: Qld, NSW, ACT, VIC & TAS
NOTE: Similar species: None
Butterfly Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: Every month of the year, at times our most common butterfly.
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: Often seen on Plateau.
Larva Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: Jan 2019; Feb 2019; March 2015, 2016, Apr 2005, 2019; May 2005, 2019; Dec 2005, 2016
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: None to date
Larval food plants:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: LAURACEAE - Cryptocarya obovata (Pepperberry or White walnut), Cryptocarya triplinervis, MONIMIACEAE - Doryphora sassafras (Sassafras),
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: (as for Claire Cottage plus) LAURACEAE - Cryptocarya erythroxylon, Endiandra pubens
- ELSEWHERE: (as for Dorrigo Plateau plus) LAURACEAE - Cryptocarya hypsopodia, Endiandra discolor, *Cinnamomum camphora; MONIMIACEAE - Atherosperma moschatum, Daphnandra micrantha, D. repandula, Doryphora aromatica; RUTACEAE - Geijera salicifolia; WINTERACEAE - Tasmannia lanceolata, T. xerophila
Possible Larval Food Plants: Other Trees we have planted which may prove to provide food for Macleay's Swallowtail caterpillars are: LAURACEAE - Cryptocarya glaucescens (Jackwood), C. meisneriana (Thick-leaved laurel), WINTERACEAE - Tasmannia insipidia (Brush Pepper Bush).
Breeding season on the Dorrigo Plateau: Thought to be September to May (but could be longer)
Sighted: All year, sometimes our most common butterfly with as many as 5 or 6 in the garden together
Larva Sightings: Early May 2019- 2nd instar larva on Doryphora sassafras - 16/05/19 enters 3td instar, now rests on upper surface of leaf rather than the under surface as in 1st & 2nd instar.
Status Claire Cottage & Dorrigo Plateau: common
Flight habit: Throughout the day.
Winter Sightings: 26/06/21,
Habitat where found at Claire Cottage: Rainforest edge
Known to be breeding at Claire Cottage: Yes
Items of Interest:
These beautiful green, black and white fast flying Swallowtail butterflies bring us joy in the garden all through the year. We see them daily in summer, often here all day, and whilst less common in winter we see them during every month of the year. In the colder months when butterflies are scarce, the Macleay's Swallowtails feed on the small flowers like Forget-me-nots, Bluebells and Primulas and Eriostemons as soon as they come in to flower, fluttering their wings constantly whilst feeding to keep their balance. In summer their favourite food is our Buddleias and often they disturb each other on flowers before racing away in a chase activity sometimes with 3 or 4 of them joining in.