Common Yellow Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)

Caterpillar

Caterpillars emerge from the eggs after around a week from hatching. During this time, they are black with white bands. By July, when ready to pupate, the caterpillars are fully grown, turning into bright green and ornamented with thin bands in black along with orange spots.

Pupa

The chrysalis may be either pale brown or light green with a darker brown stripe and remains attached to the stem of a reed. In this state, they hibernate throughout the winter, until the arrival of the spring in the following year.

Adult Butterfly

Sexual Dimorphism: Not present

Color and Appearance: When the wings are open, the wings of both the males and the (larger) females display a dark gray base with elongated off-white to cream marks at the center of the primary wings, and even white spots arranged parallel to the border of the wings. The side of each of the hindwings close to the characteristic ‘tail’ displays a bright reddish-orange eyespot with a black border around it along the lower border that touches the inner edge of the pair of hindwings. There is also three to four cyan to light blue spray marks just above the two tails. When the wings are closed, the ventral side shows a faint or blurry mirror image of the dorsal side.

Average wingspan: Typically 9 to 10 cm

Flight pattern: Strong flaps

Eggs

Eggs are light brown in color laid singly on the upper leaves of Hog’s Fennel, also known as Milk Parsley.