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Papilio anactus
Also called "Dingy Swallowtail" - this is the smallest of the swallowtail butterflies in Australia. Wingspan was about 70 mm. Both wings had balck and white patterns. The submarginal area of the hind wings showed red patches, making it very attractive in flight. abdominal segments had a yellow colouring with black patches along the mid line. The head showed small tufts of short yellow setae.
Spotted flying along the edge of a walking track in a dry sclerophyll forest.
Larvae feed on native and cultivated citrus. They eject a fluid that smells of decaying citrus, from glands behind the head, when disturbed. Family: Papilionidae
Spotted on Nov 28, 2014
Submitted on Nov 29, 2014
3 Comments
Very pretty!
I am sure these are the ones that used to fly over our house. They are lovely .
A spectacular butterfly that visits my garden almost daily to lay eggs on my citrus. http://www.bowerbird.org.au/observations...