The "Blue-banded Swallowtail" (Graphium sarpedon) is a butterfly belonging to the swallowtail family, as its name suggests, with beautiful blue bands. Its larvae feed on camphor trees, which are commonly planted along streets and in shrines, so it can be seen fairly often in urban areas.

At the end of October 2012, I found a swallowtail butterfly larva on a camphor tree in the "Animal Plaza" of Inokashira Park Zoo for the first time since summer. When viewed from the front, the larva is plump and has a comical face. What you might mistakenly call a face is actually the larva's thorax. This sight always warms my heart and makes me feel peaceful, but the larva, still on the camphor tree leaf, blends in perfectly with the leaf, a remarkable display of camouflage.

Butterflies, depending on the species, overwinter in various stages, from egg to larva to pupa to adult. However, the Blue-banded Swallowtail (Graphium sarpedon) overwinters as a pupa. When it becomes a pupa, it takes on a form that resembles a leaf, with veins-like stripes.

Whether or not they become overwintering pupae seems to depend on the length of daylight hours. Larvae that are out at this time of year, when daylight hours are shorter, will probably become overwintering pupae and emerge as adults next spring. Until then, I would like to quietly observe them overwintering in the animal enclosure.
The animal plaza will be open every other week throughout the winter. Please come and see the animals that are surviving the winter.

*The "Creature Plaza" will be open from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM on the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th Sundays of each month starting in December 2012.

Photo above: Blue swallowtail butterfly larva
Photo below: A blue swallowtail butterfly pupa on a white laurel tree.

[Inokashira Park Zoo Education and Outreach Section, Mikako Takamatsu]

(November 9, 2012)