Insect · GBIF taxon 1938015
Giant African Swallowtail
Papilio antimachusAlso known as African Giant Swallowtail
Gliding high through the dense canopy of Central African rainforests, the Giant African Swallowtail commands attention with an astonishing wingspan that can top nine inches. Males routinely gather on riverbanks to sip mineral-rich moisture while females remain high in the forest canopy, rarely descending toward the ground. Larvae accumulate potent cardiac toxins from their host plants, rendering adult butterflies so toxic that local predators completely avoid them.
RainforestToxicLarge Wingspan
—observations
—countries
—peak records
VulnerableConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXVulnerableRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Flower nectar
- Mud minerals
Predators
Not available
ThreatsDeforestation, habitat destruction, specimen collection
HabitatsLowland tropical rainforest canopy
Life span1 to 2 months
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyPapilionidae
- SpeciesPapilio antimachus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Contains potent cardiac glycosides; do not ingest or allow pets to chew on specimens.
- Why it is dangerous
- Accumulates lethal cardiac glycosides from larval host plants, making all life stages highly poisonous if ingested.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Recognizable by its massive tawny orange and dark brown patterned wings spanning up to twenty three centimeters.
- What to do
- Do not capture, crush, or handle specimens, and keep away from pets.
- What to notice
- Look for huge tawny orange wings gliding through high rainforest canopies across Central Africa.
- Support conservation
- Observe wild individuals without disturbance and never buy uncertified wild-caught specimens.
Responsible observation
- Canopy Spotting: Look near forest river courses where males occasionally descend to puddle on damp mud.
- Responsible Viewing: Avoid buying mounted wild specimens to help reduce poaching pressure on native populations.
Global Counterpart Host Plant Close Relative 
Close Relative (c) Dave Rogers, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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