Polydamas Swallowtail
Battus polydamas
Unlike most swallowtails, the Polydamas Swallowtail completely lacks the characteristic 'tails' on its hindwings.
- Scientific name
- Battus polydamas
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Papilionidae › Battus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Subtropical forests, woodlands, fields, gardens, and urban parks.
- Diet
- Adults drink nectar from flowers like lantana and shepherd's needle; larvae feed exclusively on pipevine (Aristolochia) leaves.
- Range
- North America, Central America, South America, Caribbean
- Size
- Wingspan of 7 to 12 cm (2.8 to 4.7 inches).
- Lifespan
- 1 to 2 weeks as an adult butterfly.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Pesticide use, habitat destruction, and the removal of native host plants.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and safe to observe at any distance. Do not handle roughly as their wings are fragile. Both caterpillars and adults are toxic if ingested due to their diet of pipevine; wash hands after handling and keep away from pets.
Battus polydamas , also known as the gold rim swallowtail , the Polydamas swallowtail or the tailless swallowtail , is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 10th edition of Systema Naturae , published in 1758.
Photo: Dennis Vollmar, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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