Papilionidae : Papilioninae
Battus devilliers (Godart, 1823)
De Villiers' Swallowtail
Battus devilliers (Godart, 1823)
De Villiers' Swallowtail
Description and Similar Species: Wingspan 84-104 mm. One of two swallowtail species that shows blue on the upperwings but devilliers shows the greatest. The sexes are similar though the female is slightly larger. The forewing is edged with blue with a row of pale blue spots and the hindwing has a much broader area of a similar colour with larger rectangular pale blue spots. The underwings are black, white and red, and the abdomen sides have white stripes. There are two main confusion species:
1) female Poey's Swallowtail Heraclides caiguanabus which also has powder blue on the hindwing but has larger yellow spots on the forewing and
2) female Androgeus Swallowtail Heraclides androgeus but this is much larger with a max wingspan of 143mm, and has largely black forewings with a powder blue centre to the hindwings.
Range: Found only on Cuba, the Bahamas and Florida.
Status: Found throughout Cuba though said to be commoner at the western end of the island.
Nectar Plants: Zinnia elegans, Lantana sp, Chromolaena sp.
Larval Foodplants: Aristolochia sp.
1) female Poey's Swallowtail Heraclides caiguanabus which also has powder blue on the hindwing but has larger yellow spots on the forewing and
2) female Androgeus Swallowtail Heraclides androgeus but this is much larger with a max wingspan of 143mm, and has largely black forewings with a powder blue centre to the hindwings.
Range: Found only on Cuba, the Bahamas and Florida.
Status: Found throughout Cuba though said to be commoner at the western end of the island.
Nectar Plants: Zinnia elegans, Lantana sp, Chromolaena sp.
Larval Foodplants: Aristolochia sp.
Egg
Larva
Foodplants and Habitat
