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Swallowtail butterfly
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À

 

 
 
   


Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies that form the family Papilionidae. There are
over 550 species,[1] and though the majority are tropical, members of the family are found on all
continents except Antarctica. The family includes the largest butterflies in the world, the
birdwing butterflies of Australia (genus 
  ).[2]

Swallowtails differ from all other butterflies in a number of anatomical traits. Most notably, their
caterpillars possess a unique organ behind their heads, called the osmeterium. Normally hidden,
this forked structure can be everted when the caterpillar is threatened, or forced out with a gentle
squeeze, and emits smelly secretions containing terpenes. The adults are often 
  like the
forked tail of some swallows, giving the insect its name.
Monarch (butterfly)
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Monarch

Female

Male

Conservation status
The Monarch butterfly ë   
 is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae), in the
family Nymphalidae. It is perhaps the best known of all North American butterflies. Since the
19th century, it has been found in New Zealand, and in Australia since 1871 where it is called the
Wanderer.[3][4][5] In Europe it is resident in the Canary Islands, the Azores, and Madeira, and is
found as an occasional migrant in Western Europe. Its wings feature an easily recognizable
orange and black pattern, with a wingspan of 8.9±10.2 centimetres (3½±4 in).[6] (The Viceroy
butterfly has a similar size, color, and pattern, but can be distinguished by an extra black stripe
across the hind wing.) Female Monarchs have darker veins on their wings, and the males have a
spot called the "androconium" in the center of each hind wing[7] from which pheromones are
released. Males are also slightly larger.

The Monarch is famous for its southward migration and northward return in summer in the
Americas which spans the life of three to four generations of the butterfly.
Birdwing
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Birdwing

À
 


Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Lepidoptera

Suborder: Ditrysia

Superfamily: Papilionoidea

Family: Papilionidae

Subfamily: Papilioninae
 Tribe: Troidini

À  
Genus: À
 

  

Species

  


Birdwings are papilionid butterflies native to the Indian Subcontinent, mainland and archipelagic
Southeast Asia and Australasia, and are usually regarded as belonging to three genera:

  , À   and À
 . Some authorities include additional genera. The exact
number of species is debated, but most recent authorities recognize between 30 and 40.
Birdwings are named for their exceptional size, angular wings, and birdlike flight.

Included among the birdwings are some of the largest butterflies in the world: the largest, Queen
Alexandra's Birdwing (
     ); the second largest, the Goliath Birdwing (

 ); and the largest butterfly endemic to Australia, the Cairns Birdwing (  
 ).
Another well-known species is Rajah Brooke's Birdwing (À  

 ), a
particularly attractive species named after Sir James Brooke, the first White Rajah of 19th
century Sarawak.

Due to their size and bright colours, they are popular among collectors of butterflies, but all
birdwings are now listed by CITES,[1] thereby limiting (and in the case of   
completely banning) international trade.
Gulf Fritillary
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The Gulf Fritillary or Passion Butterfly, Ô

 , is a striking, bright orange butterfly of
the family Nymphalidae, subfamily Heliconiinae. These were formerly classified in a separate
family, the Heliconiidae or longwing butterflies, and like other longwings this species does have
long, rather narrow wings in comparison with other butterflies. It is not closely related to the true
fritillaries. It is a medium to large butterfly, with a wingspan of 6±9.5 cm (2.4±3.7 in). Its
underwings are buff, with large silvery spots.[1] It takes its name from migrating flights of the
butterflies sometimes seen over the Gulf of Mexico.

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The Gulf Fritillary is commonly seen in parks and gardens, as well as in open country. Its range
extends from Argentina through Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean to the southern
United States, as far north as the San Francisco Bay Area on the west coast. It is occasionally
found farther north in the US.[2]
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The larva or caterpillar of the Gulf Fritillary grows to approximately 4 cm (1.6 in) in length and
is bright orange in color and covered in rows of black spines on its head and back. The spines are
soft to the touch and do not sting. However, the larvae are poisonous if eaten, as the bright
coloration advertises. The larvae feed exclusively on species of passion flower such as Maypop
(

 ), Yellow Passionflower ( ) and Running Pop ( 
).

Their toxic flesh provides Gulf Fritillary caterpillars with excellent protection from predators.[3]
Many birds avoid them.[4] Some specialized insects are observed feeding on them, however, and
larger caterpillars sometimes eat smaller ones. This species belongs to the "orange" Batesian
mimicry complex.

The chrysalis is approximately 3 cm (1.2 in) long; it is mottled brown and looks like a dry leaf.
Cultivation of passion flowers in gardens has enabled the Gulf Fritillary to extend its range, for
example into new areas of southern and northern California.