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Papilionidae

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Owl butterfly

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Caligo spp.

You can observe owl butterflies
in the Insectarium’s Great Vivarium.

Owl butterflies, from the Caligo genus, are found in the tropical forests of the Americas. Large eyespots on the underside of their wings resemble the eyes of an owl.

Several species of this butterfly are crepuscular. Because of their large size and fast flight, they are sometimes mistaken for bats.

Their eggs are hemispherical, with one flat side. They are laid either singly or in clusters.

Recognizable caterpillars

Owl butterfly caterpillars can grow up to 10 cm long. They often have horns or spines at the ends of their head or abdomen.

These caterpillars are gregarious and can cause economic damage when they proliferate in banana or palm plantations.

Canadian tiger swallowtail

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Papilio canadensis

This butterfly’s wingspan is between 6.7 and 8 cm. It has yellow wings with black stripes and black edges. Blue, yellow and orange spots can be seen along the border of its back wings. There is a yellow stripe all along the border of its back wings.

Black swallowtail

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Papilio polyxenes asterius

This butterfly’s wingspan is between 9 and 10 cm. Its black wings have two rows of yellow spots along the edges. The lower wings have an orange spot with a black centre on the bottom edge, and the tip of the wing is long and thin.

Females can be distinguished from males by their larger abdomens and a wide band of blue scales on their back wings. The two rows of yellow spots are less pronounced in females.

Papilionidae

English

In most species of Papilionidae (swallowtail butterflies), the back wings have a long tip at the end that looks like a swallow’s tail. Most swallowtail caterpillars have an osmeterium, an organ with two small horns that produces a foul odour. Some have large eyespots that can frighten predators.

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