Common Mormon (Papilio polytes)

Description:

The Common Mormon (Papilio polytes) is a common species of swallowtail butterfly widely distributed across Asia. The Common Mormon prefers lightly wooded country, but is present everywhere and high up into the hills. It is a regular visitor to gardens, being especially abundant in orchards of its foodplants - oranges and limes. It is most common in the monsoon and post-monsoon months. The later instars become dark green in colour. There is a transverse black band with an eye-spot on each side on the 4th and 5th segments. This band, being darker and brighter than that of the Lime Butterfly caterpillar, is the key distinction between the two. The Common Mormon caterpillar also has a black and white oblique band on the 8th and 9th segments, making it resemble that of the Blue Mormon. The deep red osmeterium and yellowish-brown head help distinguish it from the Blue Mormon caterpillar which has a greenish head. The Common Mormon caterpillars are heavily parasitised by Chalcid wasp, with over a hundred tiny wasps eventually emerging from each Mormon pupa.