Papilio polytes L.

Family. Papilionidae

Order. Lepidoptera

Common name. Common mormon, kupu-kupu mutiara (Indonesia)

Distribution. South and Southeast Asia.

Host plants. Plants in the Rutaceae family, such as Citrus spp, orangeberry (Glycosmis pentaphylla (Retz.) DC), and pink lime-berry (Clausena excavata Burm. F.). 

Description and biology. The male butterfly is black in color with a row of white spots on the outer margin of the forewings (Figure 1), and rather larger markings are present across the hindwings. The female (not shown) has almost the same color except that the outer margin of the forewings are gray. It also has a group of semi-rectangular pale yellowish-white markings in the center of the hindwings.

Figure 1. The common mormon butterfly, Papilio polytes ♂ (Photo:© Aunu Rauf}

The egg is laid singly on young leaves and shoots (Figure 2). It is yellowish in color and the incubation period is about 4 days.

Figure 2. Egg of Papilio polytes deposited singly on the surface of young leaf (Photo: © Aunu Rauf)

Young larvae (1st-4th instars) are blackish-brown with milky white markings resembling bird droppings (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Young larva of Papilio polytes on lime leaf (Photo: © Aunu Rauf)

Older larvae (5th instar) are green with whitish oblique stripes on lateral abdominal segments that do not meet on the dorsum (Figure 4). Larvae feed on shoots and leaves. The total larval period is 11-27 days.

Figure 4. Late instar larva of Papilio polytes on lime leaf (Photo: © Aunu Rauf)

Toward the end of the 5th instar, the body gradually shortens in length, and the larva comes to rest and uses silk to suspend itself from a twig, and becomes a prepupa (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Prepupa of Papilio polytes attached on a twig (Photo: © Aunu Rauf)

Pupation takes place as a chrysalis attached to the underside of twigs and supported by a thin silken thread (Figure 6). The pupa is naked, pale green in color and the pupal period takes 8-12 days. 

Figure 6. Pupa of Papilio polytes attached on a twig (Photo: © Aunu Rauf)

Nature of damage. The larvae are voracious leaf feeders. The damage is of not much consequence on older trees.

Natural enemies. Natural enemies usually keep the pest in check. 

Remarks. I found two early instar larvae of Papilio polytes on a potted lime tree, and they were reared until adult emergence. The emerged butterflies were both males and most probably subspecies javanus (Papilio polytes javanus).

References

Butani DK. 1979. Insects and Fruits. Delhi: Periodical Expert Book Agency.

Cendana SM, Gabriel BP, Magalonna ED. 1984. Insect pests of fruit plants in the Philippines. Los Banos: Dept. Entomology, UPLB.

Dupont F, Sheepmaker GJ. 1936. Uit Java's Vlinderleven. Batavia: NV Bookhandel en Drukkerij Visser & Co.

Kalshoven LGE. 1951. De Plagen van de Cultuur-Gewassen in Indonesie. Deel II. Bandoeng: NV Uitgeverij W van Hoeve . S-Gravenhage.

Muniappan R., Shepard BM, Carner GR, Ooi PAC. 2012. Arthropod Pests of Horticultural Crops in Tropical Asia. Oxfordshire (UK): CABI.

Tjoa Tjien Mo. 1956. Memberantas Hama-Hama Djeruk. Pusat Djawatan Pertanian Rakyat. Bandung: Ganaco.

Yunus A, Balasubramanian A. 1981. Major crop pests in Peninsular Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Ministry of Agriculture.

Internet: https://butterflycircle.blogspot.com/2011/10/life-history-of-common-mormon.html (click here).

Author: Aunu Rauf
Citation: https://indoagriinsecta.blogspot.com/2024/01/papilio-polytes.html