#byasa

[herpsandbirds]

Swallowtail Butterflies, family Papilionidae, Yilan, Taiwan

T - Common Windmill (Byasa polyeuctes)

B - Common Rose (Pachliopta aristolochiae interposita)

photographs by Chan Wah Choy

[libutron]

Chinese Windmill: a scented butterfly

The Chinese Windmill, Byasa alcinous (Papilionidae) is a butterfly found in Japan, Taiwan, China and Korea. Larvae of this butterfly are dark red to brown and have fleshy spine-like tubercles, They feed on species of Aristolochia and Thottea. Adults have about 9 – 10 cm in wingspan, are black and have yellow or red spots on its hindwings. The underside of the body has yellow or red hairs. The female is dark-brown or black.

Male adults of the Chinese Windmill emit a characteristic strong odor perceivable by humans, although the females are almost scentless. It is considered that the male scent, present predominantly in the wings, plays an important role in courtship. 

Byasa genus has been merged into the Atrophaneura genus by several scientists.

References: [1] - [2] - [3]

Photo credit: [Top: ©Xingang Wu | Locality: not indicated, 2011] - [Bottom: ©Nobuhiko Sato | Locality: not indicated, 2014]