The Great Mormon

Appearance

This species is sexually dimorphic and there are marked visual differences between the sexes. Females are also polymorphic with several different forms, both tailed and tailless, including agenor, butlerianus, esperi, rhetenorina, distantianus, and alcanor. Both sexes can be seen regularly as they feed on flowers but males are seen more often as they are avid mud puddlers.

Distribution

India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore

Habitat

Papilio agenor is a species that is able to utilize a variety of habitats due to its larvae having the ability to feed on a wide range of Rutaceous plants, including cultivated Citrus trees. The species is multivoltine with several broods per annum although the life cycle is very variable and is governed by the season as well as the sex of the butterfly.