Papilio anactus
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
Papilio anactus, the dainty swallowtail, dingy swallowtail or small citrus butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly from the family Papilionidae, that is endemic to Australia. For protection against predators, this non-poisonous butterfly mimics the poisonous male Cressida cressida, another swallowtail butterfly that obtains its toxic properties through its host plant, the Dutchman's pipe.
Papilio anactus is endemic to Australia. It was originally only present in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, but due to the growing of citrus, a larval food plant of this species, in orchards, the species spread to South Australia in the late 1920s. Papilio anactus is not present on Kangaroo Island or elsewhere in Australia, as there are currently too few citrus trees. Sadly this butterfly is much less common than it once used to be.
It also occurs on New Caledonia. There, it may be an introduced species or a vagrant. The eggs are relatively large, pale yellow, and roughly spherical. The eggs change to an orange colour when the larvae are almost ready to emerge.
Females only lay eggs on the newly grown leaves of the host plant. They are laid at the... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hattah-Kulkyne National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Dainty Swallowtail sighting in Melbourne on a given day, based on 911 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 8th most-seen of the 875 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Dainty Swallowtail in Melbourne on a given day, against under 5% in June to October, the lowest months.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Dainty Swallowtail sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Dainty Swallowtail sightings, Melbourne has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Brisbane (Australia, about 10%) and Sydney (Australia, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Dainty Swallowtail is recorded against all the insects logged in Melbourne (911 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
