Also known as Lemon Butterfly, Chequered Swallowtail, Citrus Swallowtail
Lime swallowtails flutter rapidly through sunlit gardens and citrus orchards, flashing intricate chequered patterns of creamy yellow, chocolate brown, and vivid eye spots. Early instar caterpillars disguise themselves as bird droppings before molting into bright green larvae armed with an osmeterium, a foul-smelling forked gland thrust outward to deter predators. Although adult butterflies live only several days, their rapid developmental cycle and affinity for cultivated Rutaceae have propelled their expansion across continents.
