Tailed Emperor Charaxes sempronius (formerly Polyura sempronius sempronius)
Wingspan: 75mm - 85mm
Sighted: October to May
Distribution: Fragmented range - WA - from Yampi Sound 200k north to Port Nelson - (400k due west of Kununurra) then from Darwin, NT to Roper River (400k to south) and Groote Eylandt Island in Gulf of Carpenteria to east. Then from Thursday Island south through QLD and NSW, the ACT, VIC on to Adelaide, SA.
Status Claire Cottage: uncommon
Status Dorrigo Plateau: thought to be uncommon
NOTE: Similar species: None
Wingspan: 75mm - 85mm
Sighted: October to May
Distribution: Fragmented range - WA - from Yampi Sound 200k north to Port Nelson - (400k due west of Kununurra) then from Darwin, NT to Roper River (400k to south) and Groote Eylandt Island in Gulf of Carpenteria to east. Then from Thursday Island south through QLD and NSW, the ACT, VIC on to Adelaide, SA.
Status Claire Cottage: uncommon
Status Dorrigo Plateau: thought to be uncommon
NOTE: Similar species: None
Tailed Emperor laying eggs high on Robinia pseudoacacia, Claire Cottage Dorrigo, 1 Dec 2015
An injured Tailed Emperor photographed in a Sydney garden
(note its hindwing is incorrectly positioned above its forewing)
Tailed Emperor high in the trees in Nth Qld, 18 May 2013
Tailed Emperor egg laid on Senna sp., Thora, NSW, Dec 2016
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First instar caterpillar (7mm) on Senna sp., Thora, NSW, Dec 2016
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Final instar larva, Claire Cottage, 9 Jan 2021, 2.36pm
Final instar larva, Claire Cottage, 15 Jan 2021, 4.51pm
Larva pre-pupating in a letterbox in Cairns N.Qld (Photo Nigel Quayle)
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Tailed Emperor pupa in the Cairns letterbox (Photo Nigel Quayle)
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The Cairns letterbox butterfly hatched successfully (Photo Nigel Quayle)
This is the Lord Howe sub-species of the Tailed Emperor. There were several butterflies hilltopping and aggressively defending their perches. Malabar Hill, LHI, 26 Nov 2012, 2.03 pm
A worn specimen on Lord Howe, Malabar Hill, LHI, 26 Nov 2012, 2.03 pm
Tailed Emperor Charaxes sempronius (formerly Polyura sempronius sempronius)
Wingspan: 75mm - 85mm
Sighted: October to March (rare sightings)
Distribution: Fragmented range - WA - from Yampi Sound 200k north to Port Nelson - (400k due west of Kununurra) then from Darwin, NT to Roper River (400k to south) and Groote Eylandt Island in Gulf of Carpenteria to east. Then from Thursday Island south through QLD and NSW, the ACT, VIC on to Adelaide, SA.
Status Claire Cottage: uncommon
Status Dorrigo Plateau: thought to be uncommon
NOTE: Similar species: None
Butterfly Sightings:
Larva Sightings:
Larval Food Plants:
Habitat where found at Claire Cottage: Flying high and fast. never descending to feed on flowers.
Known to breed at Claire Cottage: Yes
Flight habit: Throughout the day.
First warm season sighting - Claire Cottage:
Last warm season sighting - Claire Cottage:
The Tailed Emperor is not attracted to nectar feeding instead on the sap of trees and shrubs or on the juices of rotting fruit.This large butterfly has a strong fast flight. It flies high, seldom coming down to ground level, thus is easily missed as it speeds by near the tree tops.
Wingspan: 75mm - 85mm
Sighted: October to March (rare sightings)
Distribution: Fragmented range - WA - from Yampi Sound 200k north to Port Nelson - (400k due west of Kununurra) then from Darwin, NT to Roper River (400k to south) and Groote Eylandt Island in Gulf of Carpenteria to east. Then from Thursday Island south through QLD and NSW, the ACT, VIC on to Adelaide, SA.
Status Claire Cottage: uncommon
Status Dorrigo Plateau: thought to be uncommon
NOTE: Similar species: None
Butterfly Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: Oct 2001, 2018, Dec 2004, 2010, 2015 (egg laying on Robinia), 2016, Jan 2018, Feb 2016 (2), Mar 2002, 2016, 2017, 2021, May 2016,
- DORRIGO PLATEAU elsewhere: None to date
Larva Sightings:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: JAN 2021 (final instar -2 stripes) feeding on Acacia melanoxylon
- DORRIGO PLATEAU elsewhere: Thora, NSW
Larval Food Plants:
- CLAIRE COTTAGE: FABACEAE: Acacia melanoxylon, *Robinia pseudoacacia, *Wisteria sp. MALVACEAE: Brachychiton acerifolius, Brachychiton discolor, Sterculia quadrifida
- DORRIGO PLATEAU elsewhere:
- ELSEWHERE: There are at least 50 species of food plants across Australia.
Habitat where found at Claire Cottage: Flying high and fast. never descending to feed on flowers.
Known to breed at Claire Cottage: Yes
Flight habit: Throughout the day.
First warm season sighting - Claire Cottage:
Last warm season sighting - Claire Cottage:
The Tailed Emperor is not attracted to nectar feeding instead on the sap of trees and shrubs or on the juices of rotting fruit.This large butterfly has a strong fast flight. It flies high, seldom coming down to ground level, thus is easily missed as it speeds by near the tree tops.