Graphium sarpedon

Graphium sarpedon (Linnaeus, 1758)
(one synonym : Chlorises helena)
PAPILIONIDAE
Blue Triangle or Common Bluebottle

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

Graphium sarpedon

This species is probably named after Sarpedon, the king of Lycia in Ancient Greek mythology.

The Caterpillar starts life as a white, yellow, or greenish round egg which is laid on the new shoots of its food plant. It is often found on the introduced

Camphor Laurel ( Cinnamomum camphora, LAURACEAE ),

although its other food plants include Australian natives such as:

Blush Walnut ( Beilschmiedia obtusifolia, LAURACEAE ),

Oliver's Sassafras ( Cinnamomum oliveri, LAURACEAE ),

Three veined Cryptocarya ( Cryptocarya triplinervis, LAURACEAE ),

Umbrella Tree ( Endiandra impressicosta, LAURACEAE ),

Bolly ( Litsea reticulata, LAURACEAE ),

White Bolly Gum ( Neolitsea dealbata, LAURACEAE ),

Glasswood ( Geijera salicifolia, RUTACEAE ),

Coondoo ( Planchonella laurifolia, SAPOTACEAE ), and

Grey Sassafras ( Doryphora aromatica, ATHEROSPERMATACEAE ).

The mother butterfly is quite particular, and usually only lays her eggs on a food plant. Occasionally however she makes a mistake, and we have found the eggs on

Avocado ( Persea americana, LAURACEAE ),

on which the young Caterpillars cannot always successfully develop.

The Caterpillars at first are dark grey and hairy, with a pale yellow tail.

(Photo: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

As they grow they become green and hump-backed in the thoracic region, tapering from the metathorax rearward. The yellow tail develops into a pair of white spikes. Paired black spikes also develop on the prothorax, mesothorax, and metathorax. The metathoracic spikes are longer than the others, and become connected by a conspicuous yellow bar. The sides of a mature Caterpillar are marked by a whitish line just above the legs. The Caterpillar grows to a length of about 3 cms.

(Photo: copyright Lyn Finn,
Hunter Region School of Photography in Newcastle,
Macquarie Hills, New South Wales)

When it is disturbed, the Caterpillar often rears up on its rear legs. It may also extrude a pair of pale translucent yellow or green fleshy horns ( an osmeterium) from a dorsalpocket in the prothorax, just behind the head. These smell strongly of camphor, and are retracted quickly after a second or two.

(Photo: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

The Caterpillar pupates on the underside of a curled leaf of the food plant. The pupa is green with a few yellow lines that converge to a spike on its head. The pupa is held by a silk girdle around the middle, and a cremaster at the tail.

(Photo: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

Within three weeks in summer, the adult emerges, having a wing span around 7 cms. The wings are black above and brown below, with large turquoise patches in the middle of both fore and hind wings. These patches seem to form a triangle, with the apex pointing towards the body.

(Photo: courtesy of Todd Burrows, South Stradbroke Island)

The underside of the wings are similarly marked with turquoise patches, and each hind wing has some red dots on its underside.

Specimens reared in captivity are usually smaller and not as blue as wild forms. The reason for this is unclear: perhaps sunlight is necessary for maximum growth and full pigment development.

(Photo: courtesy of Nick Monaghan, Tewantin, Queensland)

The species is found as several subspecies all over south-east Asia, including :

India,

Japan,

Singapore, and

Thailand,
as well choredon on the eastern tropical and subtropical seaboard of Australia, including:

Brisbane, and

Sydney.

Hong Kong 1979

This species is featured at Coffs Harbour Butterfly House. Butterflies of this species may be purchased for release at weddings etc.