Alice Springs Desert Park

ASDP InsectsASDP Bees Amegilla chlorocyanea Bee Braunsapis sp Exoneurella eremophila Bee Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Mating Lasioglossum (Homalictus) Banksia Moth – Caterpillar Bee Fly (Australiphthiria sp) Bee Fly (Ligyra cingulata) Bush Cockroach (Ellipsidion humarale) Caper White Butterfly Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus ssp sthenelus) Crusader Bug (Mictis profana) Day Flying Moth / Mistletoe Moth Ground Shield Bug Heliotrope Moth (Utetheisa pulchelloides) Katydid (Taeniomenae) Opisthopsis sp Potter Wasp Processionary Caterpillar Snout Beetle (Lixus) Torymus Chalcid Wasp Transverse Ladybird

Alice Springs Desert ParkFauna Flora Nature Theatre Nocturnal House

The Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus ssp. sthenelus) is the subspecies that occurs from the northern part of the Northern Territory down through the arid regions of Australia.

As seen here and like most swallowtail species, they usually feed from flowers while on the wing. They can often be seen at the edges of water sources on a hot day. They imbibe the water up through their proboscis, remove any water soluble nutrients in their stomach, then squirt out the remaining water from their rear ends.

Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus ssp. sthenelus), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus ssp. sthenelus), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus ssp. sthenelus), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus ssp. sthenelus), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus ssp. sthenelus), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus ssp. sthenelus), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus ssp. sthenelus), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus ssp. sthenelus), Alice Springs Desert Park NT

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Subclass: Pterygota
  • Order: Lepidoptera
  • Superfamily: Papilionoidea
  • Family: Papilionidae
  • Subfamily: Papilioninae
  • Tribe: Papilionini
  • Genus: Papilio
  • Subgenus: Princeps
  • Species: Papilio demoleus
  • Subspecies: Papilio demoleus sthenelus

Footnote & References

  1. Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus ssp. sthenelus), ausemade, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/189948744

ASDP InsectsASDP Bees Amegilla chlorocyanea Bee Braunsapis sp Exoneurella eremophila Bee Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Mating Lasioglossum (Homalictus) Banksia Moth – Caterpillar Bee Fly (Australiphthiria sp) Bee Fly (Ligyra cingulata) Bush Cockroach (Ellipsidion humarale) Caper White Butterfly Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus ssp sthenelus) Crusader Bug (Mictis profana) Day Flying Moth / Mistletoe Moth Ground Shield Bug Heliotrope Moth (Utetheisa pulchelloides) Katydid (Taeniomenae) Opisthopsis sp Potter Wasp Processionary Caterpillar Snout Beetle (Lixus) Torymus Chalcid Wasp Transverse Ladybird

ASDP FaunaASDP Arachnida ASDP Birds ASDP Insects ASDP Reptiles Dingo Ghost Bat Greater Bilby Numbat Red Kangaroo Short-beaked Echidna Spinifex Hopping Mouse Thorny Devil Western Quoll

Alice Springs Desert ParkFauna Flora Nature Theatre Nocturnal House