Papilio anchisiades
Encyclopedia
The Ruby-spotted Swallowtail or Red-spotted Swallowtail (Papilio anchisiades) is a butterfly
of the Papilionidae family. It is found from southern Texas
south to Argentina
. A rare stray can be found up to Kansas
, south-eastern Arizona
and western Texas
.
The wingspan
is 70-100 mm. There are several generations per year with adults on wing from May to October.
The larvae feed on various species of the Rutaceae
family, including Citrus
, Casimiroa, and Zanthoxylum
species. The adults feed on flower nectar.
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
of the Papilionidae family. It is found from southern Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
south to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. A rare stray can be found up to Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, south-eastern Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and western Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 70-100 mm. There are several generations per year with adults on wing from May to October.
The larvae feed on various species of the Rutaceae
Rutaceae
Rutaceae, commonly known as the rue or citrus family, is a family of flowering plants, usually placed in the order Sapindales.Species of the family generally have flowers that divide into four or five parts, usually with strong scents...
family, including Citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
, Casimiroa, and Zanthoxylum
Zanthoxylum
Zanthoxylum is a genus of about 250 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs in the citrus or rue family, Rutaceae, native to warm temperate and subtropical areas worldwide. Common names include Prickly-ash and Hercules' Club.The fruit of several species are used to make the spice...
species. The adults feed on flower nectar.
Subspecies
- Papilio anchisiades anchisiades (Venezuela, Colombia to the Guayanas, Peru)
- Papilio anchisiades lamasi (Brown, 1994) (Ecuador)
- Papilio anchisiades idaeus (Fabricius, 1793) (Texas, Mexico to Panama)
- Papilio anchisiades capys (Hübner, [1809]) (Bolivia to Parana, Argentina, Paraguay)
- Papilio anchisiades philastrius Fruhstorfer, 1915 (Trinidad)