Papilio xuthus Linnaeus

Swezey, O. H., 1942, Lepidoptera, Butterflies of Guam, Insects of Guam I, Honolulu, Hawaii: Bernice P. Biship Museum, pp. 31-38 : 31

1. Papilio xuthus Linnaeus ,

Syst. Nat. 1 (2): TODO 751, 1767.

Ritidian Pt. , April 15, 22, Bryan; Tarague , April 19, Bryan; Inarajan , May 1, Bryan, May 7, Swezey ; Piti, May 16, Usinger ; Tarague, May 17, Swezey ; Mt. Alifan, May 26, Swezey ; Tumon, May 30, Swezey ; Machanao, June 2, Swezey ; Barrigada, July 22, Swezey ; Ritidian Pt., Aug. 6, Swezey ; Dededo , Aug. 11, Sept. 7, Swezey ; Fadian, Aug. 19, Swezey ; Piti, Sept. 12, 18, Swezey. Some were reared from caterpillars found on orange and,on Triphasia .

This is the only swallowtail butterfly in Guam. It has a wide range in the Orient, from India through China to Korea, Japan, Formosa, Ryukyu Islands, Bonin Islands to the Philippines. Its caterpillars feed on citrus foliage. Some anonymous life history notes are given under the title "Protective Coloring" [ Guam Recorder 6(12): TODO 230, 1930]; the scientific name is not given. It was collected by Fullaway in 1911 and Schultze recorded it from Guam (Philippine Jour. Sci. 28: 567, 1925)). It is abundant now. Sometimes the butterflies may be seen clustered by the hundreds at road pools or muddy spots. (See figure in Hawaiian Planters' Record 44(3): TODO 168, 1940.) The large green caterpillars are more often found on Triphasia trifoliata , a thorny shrub or small tree, than they are on orange trees. We did not find them so abundant on orange as to be considered a pest.