White-banded swallowtail facts for kids

Quick facts for kids White-banded swallowtail
Scientific classification
Synonyms
Druryia echerioides Papilio homeyeri Plötz, 1880 Papilio neumanni Karsch, 1895 Papilio tanganikae Oberthür, 1897 Papilio zoroastres neumanni ab. subtanganikae Strand, 1916 Papilio zoroastres neumanni ab. zoroastrides Strand, 1916 Papilio zoroastres joiceyi Gabriel, 1945 Papilio zoroastres f. pallidochrea Stoneham, 1944 Papilio zoroastres joycei f. nioka Berger, 1974 Papilio echerioides var. wertheri Karsch, 1898 Papilio echerioides rideschi Suffert, 1904 Papilio echerioides rectofasciata Kielland, 1990 Papilio zoroastres Druce, 1878 Papilio preussius Karsch, 1893 Papilio zoroastres ab. zoroastroides Strand, 1914 Papilio zoroastres ab. sapponis Strand, 1914 Papilio zoroastres barnsi Gabriel, 1945 Papilio echerioides gabrieli Gauthier, 1984

The white-banded swallowtail (scientific name: Papilio echerioides) is a beautiful butterfly. It belongs to a group of butterflies called Papilionidae. You can find this butterfly flying around in Sub-Saharan Africa.

This butterfly has a wingspan of about 65 to 75 millimeters. That's roughly the length of your palm! It usually flies during two main times of the year. The first flight period is from January to March. The second period is later, from September to November.

About the White-banded Swallowtail

The white-banded swallowtail is known for its striking looks. It's a type of butterfly that can be found in many parts of Africa.

What Does It Look Like?

The male white-banded swallowtail looks a lot like another butterfly, Papilio cynorta. However, the male white-banded swallowtail has a pale yellow band across its wings. This band gets narrower towards the tip of the wing. It also has a light spot on its front wing that is almost always there.

The female white-banded swallowtail is quite special. It can mimic (or copy) the look of other butterflies. It looks similar to Amauris echeria and Amauris albimaculata. This mimicry helps protect it from predators. Its front wings are black with white spots. Its back wings are black with a large, pale yellow area in the middle. They also have white spots near the edges.

Its Life Cycle and Food

Like all butterflies, the white-banded swallowtail starts its life as a larva, also known as a caterpillar. These larvae need specific plants to eat and grow. They feed on plants like Clausena inaequalis and Toddalia asiatica. They also enjoy Zanthoxylum capense and Vepris lanceolata. Interestingly, they can also eat leaves from Citrus trees, like orange or lemon trees.

Family Tree: How It's Related

The white-banded swallowtail, Papilio echerioides, is part of a special group of butterflies. This group is called the echerioides species group. It includes other similar butterflies. Some of these relatives are Papilio fuelleborni and Papilio jacksoni. They all share common features because they are closely related.

Images for kids

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