The Great Mormon Butterfly (Papilio Memnon agenor) is a large insect in the Papilionidae family of swallowtail butterflies.
The Great Mormon Butterfly male has blue-black upperparts. The female has brownish upperparts, streaked with greyish white. She has red patches on her wings near her body. Both the male and female do not have a tail, even though it is a swallowtail. Its body is black with medium-sized black antennae.
Its wingspan is 12-15 centimetres (5-6 inches).
It is native to south-east Asia in countries such as Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, China, and Indonesia.
It likes citrus trees and forest clearings.
The female lays eggs on the upper or under surface of leaves. The larva (caterpillar) is black. The caterpillar pupates by forming a chrysalis, and an adult butterfly emerges. This is called metamorphosis.
Location of photographs: Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM