Orchard Swallowtail, male, showing upper fore wing.
Orchard Swallowtail, male, showing upper side of hind wing.
Orchard Swallowtail, male, showing lower side of fore and hind wings.
Photos: Euan Moore
Scientific Name: Papilio aegeus
Family of Butterflies: Papilionidae (Swallowtails)
Other Common Names: Orchard Butterfly, Large Citrus Butterfly
Wingspan: Males; 102mm, females; 108mm. This is the largest butterfly found in Victoria.
Local Records: There are few local records for the Castlemaine area in the iNaturalist databases although there are a number of records for surrounding areas e.g. Bendigo, Maryborough and Kyneton. Local records of caterpillars show that this species is breeding in our region.
Distribution: This species occurs right along the eastern seaboard of Australia, extending inland to the
western slopes of the Great Dividing Range with a few outlier records in central and Western Australia.
The Australian distribution is shown by records in the Atlas of Living Australia where you can zoom in on
the map to see Victorian and local distributions. For the global distribution which extends to the islands
of New Guinea see iNaturalist.
Larval Host Plants: Native food plants include members of the Rutaceae family such as Boronia spp,
Eriostemon spp and Ziera spp. Larvae may also feed on introduced Rutaceae including Citrus spp,
Murraya spp and Choisya spp.
Larval association with ants: None.
Adult Flight Times in Victoria: In Victoria this species is most often seen in late summer (February to
March). Across Australia it may be seen in any month with sightings peaking in January and April. Ref:
iNaturalist.
Conservation Status:
- The Action plan for Australian Butterflies: No Conservation Significance in Australia
Other Notes: This species has extended its range into Victoria with the planting of citrus orchards
providing a food source for the larvae.
References and further reading:
Atlas of Living Australia – Papilio aegeus, Orchard Swallowtail
iNaturalist Australia – Papilio aegeus, Orchard Swallowtail
Braby, Michael F., Second edition 2016. The Complete Field Guide to Butterflies of Australia. CSIRO Publishing
Field, Ross P., 2013. Butterflies: Identification and Life History. Museum Victoria