Ilus swallowtail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ilus swallowtail |
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| M. i. branchus | |
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The Mimoides ilus, also known as the Ilus swallowtail or dual-spotted swallowtail, is a type of butterfly. It belongs to the Papilionidae family, which includes many beautiful swallowtail butterflies.
You can find this butterfly in a wide area, from Mexico all the way down to Colombia and Venezuela. Even though it's a bit rare, scientists don't think it's in danger of disappearing.
The young butterflies, called larvae (or caterpillars), of one specific type of Ilus swallowtail (M. i. branchus) like to eat a plant called Annotata reticulata.
Different Kinds of Ilus Swallowtails
Just like there are different breeds of dogs, there are slightly different versions of the Ilus swallowtail butterfly. These are called subspecies. They might look a little different or live in different places. Here are the main ones:
- Mimoides ilus ilus (Fabricius, 1793): This subspecies lives in places like Panama, northern Colombia, and central Venezuela.
- Mimoides ilus branchus (Doubleday, 1846): You can find this one from eastern Mexico down to northern Costa Rica.
- Mimoides ilus occiduus (Vázquez, 1957): This subspecies makes its home in western Mexico.
Images for kids
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Seitz Plate 14 showing belesis and branchus butterflies.
See also
In Spanish: Mimoides ilus para niños
