Orchard Swallowtail Papilio aegeus
Wingspan: 102mm-108mm
Sighted Claire Cottage: Oct - June. More common in the warmist months with males appearing first usually in early to mid Oct.
Distribution: Several areas in eastern NT., FNQ from Cape York south to VIC & SA. Detailed range continues south down entire east coast from tip of CYP, includes eastern half of QLD and entire coastline right through to SA. Also covers much of inland SE QLD and 75% of NSW & VIC and smaller isolated pockets in SA.
Status Claire Cottage: common
Status Dorrigo Plateau: common
Wingspan: 102mm-108mm
Sighted Claire Cottage: Oct - June. More common in the warmist months with males appearing first usually in early to mid Oct.
Distribution: Several areas in eastern NT., FNQ from Cape York south to VIC & SA. Detailed range continues south down entire east coast from tip of CYP, includes eastern half of QLD and entire coastline right through to SA. Also covers much of inland SE QLD and 75% of NSW & VIC and smaller isolated pockets in SA.
Status Claire Cottage: common
Status Dorrigo Plateau: common
If you have a citrus tree in your garden, you will undoubtedly have the female of this large butterfly looking for tender new leaves on which to lay her eggs. The Orchard Swallowtail is common on our property where its aterpillars feed mainly on introduced Citrus and Mexican Orange and less frequently on Flindersia schottiana, F. australias and F. xanthoxyla. Although they have also laid eggs on Philotheca (Eriostemon) we have not seen the caterpillar successfully mature to pupation on that plant.
The black males are usually the first to appear in mid Spring flying lazily around nectar flowers waiting for the females to appear so mating can take place.
The black males are usually the first to appear in mid Spring flying lazily around nectar flowers waiting for the females to appear so mating can take place.
Orchard Swallowtail caterpillars when small are brown and white and look remarkably like a bird dropping as they sit motionless on top of a leaf. At this stage of their development their clever colour camouflage enables them to sit openly on the leaf.
When the caterpillar reaches its final skin (instar) it changes its colour from brown and white to become green and brown substituting the original brown for green and the white for brown. In this final instar it soon becomes too large to sit on the leaf surface and instead begins sitting on a branch where the new colours provide a better camouflage.
When the caterpillar reaches its final skin (instar) it changes its colour from brown and white to become green and brown substituting the original brown for green and the white for brown. In this final instar it soon becomes too large to sit on the leaf surface and instead begins sitting on a branch where the new colours provide a better camouflage.
If you disturb a Swallowtail caterpillar (see photo to right) you will often see them rear up and extend two red fleshy 'horns' (called osmeterium) from just above their head, these have a pungent citrus smell.
This is a defense mechanism which all Swallowtail caterpillars have to reduce the risk of attack by predators who find the smell given-off offensive.
Orchard Swallowtail Papilio aegeus
Wingspan: 102mm-108mm
Sighted Claire Cottage: Oct - June. More common in summer with males appearing first usually in early to mid Oct.
Distribution: Several areas in eastern NT., FNQ from Cape York south to VIC & SA. Detailed range continues south down entire east coast from tip of CYP, includes eastern half of QLD and entire coastline right through to SA. Also covers much of inland SE QLD and 75% of NSW & VIC and smaller isolated pockets in SA.
Status Claire Cottage: common
Status Dorrigo Plateau: common
Butterfly Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: Oct 2021 (f), 2022 (f), 2023 (m) Nov 2023 (m)
- Dec 2017 (f), 2023 (3f/2m),
- Jan 2016 (m), 2024 (3f/8m),
- Feb, 2024 (10f/19m) Mar 2015 (m), 2022, 2023 (1f/1m), 2024 (7f/27m), Apr 2022 (m), May 2007 (f),
- June 2018 (m),
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: As for Claire Cottage.
Larva Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: Most Years - Nov, Dec (2021), Jan(2024), Feb (2022, 2024), (2023) Mar (2023, 2024), Apr, May
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: As for Claire Cottage.
Egg Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: Oct 2020,
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: Would be deposited similar dates as Claire Cottage.
Larval food plants:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: RUTACEAE - Citrus australasica, Eriostemon australasius, Flindersia australis, Flindersia bennettii, Flindersia schottiana, Flindersia xanthoxyla, Choisya ternata*(Mexican Orange), Citrus*
- DORRIGO PLATEAU: (as for Claire Cottage)
- ELSEWHERE: (as for Dorrigo Plateau plus) RUTACEAE - Other native Citrus and introduced Citrus*. Additional Flindersias and many plants in QLD.
Status Dorrigo Plateau: common
Flight habit: Throughout the day.
Habitat: Rainforest - subtropical.
First annual warm season sighting - Claire Cottage:
MALE-24/10/23
FEMALE-
Last annual warm season sighting - Claire Cottage:
MALE-
MAR 18/03/18, 27/03/23,
APR 12/04/20;
FEMALE-
MAR 18/03/23, 24/03/21,
APR 10/04/18,
MAY-26/05/07,
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Interesting observations: Of the larval food plants at Claire Cottage females prefer to lay their eggs on exotic Citrus & Choisya but occasionally native food-plants shown above are used.
* We usually leave wild larva in situ but following heavy losses to birds (?) in summer 2016/2017 we chose to collect many of our Orchard Swallowtail larvae in summer 2017/2018 and allow them to reach maturity in security within the house. Adults started to hatch in early February 2018 emerging from their pupa around 06.00-07.00 early in the morning as the day lightens. Released butterflies 2 males / 1 female.
* Historical observance from our Forestville, Sydney home in the 1980's & 1990's - our large back southerly facing garden dropped steeply away from our house. It overlooked Garigal National Park with Middle Harbour beyond. Facing south it presented an ideal location to grow rainforest vegetation, whilst attempting to recreate a mini rainforest. We noticed in the warmer months that Orchard Swallowtail butterflies would frequently roost in our rainforest trees over night. Using torch light we could often spot a butterfly at rest after dark.