GRAPHIUM ANTHEUS

GRAPHIUM ANTHEUS (Graphium antheus)

Phylum — arthropoda
Class — insecta
Order — lepidoptera
Family — papilionidae

Genus – graphium

Appearance

The caterpillars are yellowish-green with rings of orange and brown colors. They have 10 branched outgrowths: two on the head, four on the front of the body, and two on the back.

The wingspan is 65–70 mm in males and 70–75 mm in females. The main color of the wings is black with green spots of different sizes and shapes. There are small red eyespots at the base of the hindwings. There is one long tail on the hind wings.

Habitat

Graphium antheus lives in Africa.

Behavior

It demonstrates daily activity. The flight period is year-round, peaking from November to December. Males can be seen puddling at moist areas.

Like other caterpillars of this family, the caterpillar of this butterfly has an osmetrium – a gland behind the head that extends in danger and looks like two long orange-red "horns".

Diet

The larva feed on Uvaria caffra, Artabotrys monteiroae, Annona reticulata, Annona senegalensis, Artabotrys brachypetalus, Cleistochlamys kirkii, Hexalobus monopetalus, Landolphia ugandensis, Monanthotaxis caffra, Monodora junodi, and Uvaria kirkii.

The adult butterfly of this species is a nectar feeder and will feed from a variety of flowers.

Reproduction

For their reproduction you need a terrarium with a size of 50 x 50 x 70 cm. Eggs are laid singly on the tips of young shoots on the hostplant. Eggs are pale yellow, 3-4 mm in diameter. It is better to keep the caterpillars in containers with a mesh lid of 6-8 pieces. In the container, you need to place a forage plant. The temperature is 24-26 ^oC at the humidity of 65-75 %. The pupa is light green. It has a small horn at the head. The pupal stage lasts 13-14 days. The life cycle takes about a month. The butterfly lives for 9 days.

In captivity

The mesh terrarium with a size of 50 × 50 × 70 mm is suitable for keeping butterflies. Room temperature is necessary. Daylight time is 12 hours. You can feed the butterflies with honey syrup diluted with boiled water in a ratio of 1: 10.