Diet

• Caterpillars feed on plants in the citrus family (Rutaceae).

• Like other swallowtails, the caterpillar has a retractable osmeterium behind the head that can be everted when disturbed, releasing defensive chemicals.

• Adults feed on flower nectar.

Range

• Heraclides polycharmus is a Mexican species.

• Its distribution extends through western and southern Mexico, with populations associated with tropical woodland and forest-edge habitats.

• It occurs in Guerrero and the Zihua area, where it can be encountered in suitable tropical vegetation.

Habitat

• This swallowtail favours warm tropical and subtropical environments, particularly tropical deciduous and semi-deciduous forest, woodland edges, clearings and secondary vegetation.

• It can also occur around gardens, orchards and other disturbed areas where Rutaceae are available.

• The species is particularly well suited to the seasonal tropical environments characteristic of much of western Mexico.

Description

• The Pink-spotted Swallowtail is a large swallowtail with a wingspan of approximately 84–95 mm.

• The wings are predominantly dark brown to black. The forewings have relatively subdued pale markings, while the hindwings carry two rows of reddish to pinkish spots across the post-discal and submarginal areas.

• The hindwings have a small, relatively inconspicuous tail compared with the long tails of species such as the Androgeus Swallowtail.

• Males generally have smaller and less conspicuous reddish spots than females. In females, the red hindwing spots are larger and more prominent.

• The two rows of red hindwing spots, combined with the dark wings and short tail, are particularly useful for distinguishing this species from other Heraclides in western Mexico.