Insect
Spangle Butterfly
Papilio protenorAlso known as Spangle
Spangle butterflies glide through tropical and subtropical forest corridors on broad, velvety dark wings adorned with shimmering blue-green scales. Males frequently gather along riverbanks to sip mineral-rich moisture, while females search canopy edges for wild citrus trees on which to lay eggs. Caterpillars rely on chemical defenses derived from their host plants, extruding a foul-smelling osmeterium organ when threatened.
PollinatorIridescentDay-active
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyFlower nectar, Citrus leaves, Mineral-rich mud
Predators
- Insectivorous birds
- Praying mantises
- Orb-weaver spiders
ThreatsDeforestation, habitat fragmentation, and agricultural pesticide exposure
HabitatsSubtropical forests, woodland edges, mountain valleys, and citrus groves
Life span3–6 weeks as adults
Classification
- FamilyPapilionidae
- SpeciesPapilio protenor
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Puddling Spots: Look for males clustering on damp mud near streams to drink essential minerals.
- Garden Planting: Growing citrus trees and nectar-rich flowers encourages visits from breeding females.
Competitor (c) Kim, Hyun-tae, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kim, Hyun-tae · cc-by
Host Plant Elena Chochkova / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative pjt56 --- If you use the picture outside Wikipedia I would appreciate a short e-mail to pjt56@gmx.net / CC BY 3.0 · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Andrew Lai, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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