How did Papilio demoleus get to Cayman?
Chequered Swallowtail,
Checkered swallowtail, Lime Swallowtail
P. Ann
van B. Stafford, Feb. 24 2014
How did Papilio demoleus Linnaeus, 1758 get to Grand Cayman in the NW Caribbean?
It possibly got here by courier service, from the Philippines
for example, to a pupae supply company in the UK
and then to a Butterfly Farm in the Eastern
Caribbean. From there the adult butterflies might have been dispersed by a
hurricane to the easternmost islands of the Greater
Antilles and gradually winged their way westwards.
Papilio demoleus
Photo: Peter Davey, Lower Valley, Grand Cayman, Oct. 8, 2016.
Swallowtail butterflies in Cayman photos
Papilio demoleus
larval food plants in Cayman (all in Citrus Family: RUTACEAE):
Lime
- Citrus X aurantifolia (cultivated)
Tangerine
- Citrus reticulata
Satinwood
- Zanthoxylum flavum (Critically Endangered)
Shake
Hand Three - Zanthoxylum caribaeum (Critically Endangered)
Limeberry
- Triphasia trifolia (naturalized(?)
and cultivated Old World species)
Papilio andraemon tailori
(Cayman Swallowtail – Grand Cayman endemic subspecies) larval food plants in Cayman (all in Citrus
Family: RUTACEAE)
Satinwood
- Zanthoxylum flavum (Critically Endangered)
Shake
Hand Two – Zanthoxylum coriaceum (Critically Endangered)
Shake
Hand Three - Zanthoxylum caribaeum (Critically Endangered)
Candlewood
– Amyris elemifera (Endangered)
Lime
- Citrus X aurantifolia (cultivated)
Limeberry
- Triphasia trifolia (naturalized(?) and
cultivated Old World species)
P. demoleus grew MUCH FASTER than P. andraemon tailori.
Flicker Bulletin October / November 2014
Chequered Swallowtail Butterfly found again on Grand Cayman
R. R. Askew
Lime Swallowtail,
Chequered Swallowtail, Citrus Swallowtail: Papilio demoleus Linnaeus (Insecta:
Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) Featured Creatures
Papilio demoleus
Photo: Peter Davey, Lower Valley, Grand Cayman, Oct. 8, 2016.
Swallowtail butterflies in Cayman photos
P. demoleus grew MUCH FASTER than P. andraemon tailori.
Flicker Bulletin October / November 2014
Swallowtail butterflies in Cayman photos
Papilio demoleus
larval food plants in Cayman (all in Citrus Family: RUTACEAE):
Lime
- Citrus X aurantifolia (cultivated)
Tangerine
- Citrus reticulata
Satinwood
- Zanthoxylum flavum (Critically Endangered)
Shake
Hand Three - Zanthoxylum caribaeum (Critically Endangered)
Limeberry
- Triphasia trifolia (naturalized(?)
and cultivated Old World species)
Papilio andraemon tailori
(Cayman Swallowtail – Grand Cayman endemic subspecies) larval food plants in Cayman (all in Citrus
Family: RUTACEAE)
Satinwood
- Zanthoxylum flavum (Critically Endangered)
Shake
Hand Two – Zanthoxylum coriaceum (Critically Endangered)
Shake
Hand Three - Zanthoxylum caribaeum (Critically Endangered)
Candlewood
– Amyris elemifera (Endangered)
Lime
- Citrus X aurantifolia (cultivated)
Limeberry
- Triphasia trifolia (naturalized(?) and
cultivated Old World species)
P. demoleus grew MUCH FASTER than P. andraemon tailori.
Chequered Swallowtail Butterfly found again on Grand Cayman
R. R. Askew
Lime Swallowtail,
Chequered Swallowtail, Citrus Swallowtail Papilio demoleus Linnaeus (Insecta:
Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) Delano S.
Lewis
Lime Swallowtail, Chequered Swallowtail Original publication date January 2009. Reviewed January 2012.
Introduction:
The
lime swallowtail, Papilio demoleus
Linnaeus, is sometimes called the chequered or citrus swallowtail. This
butterfly ranges widely and is an extremely successful invader. Its
proliferation appears to be aided by agricultural land use and urbanization
that creates new, suitable open habitat and enhanced availability of host
resources.
Distribution:
This
species is found throughout tropical and subtropical regions of southern Asia,
ranging from Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Middle East to India, Nepal,
southern China, Taiwan, and Japan,
and south through Malaysia, Indonesia, and New
Guinea to Australia.
In recent years, P. demoleus has been
recorded in the Dominican Republic,
Puerto Rico, and Jamaica.
Papilio demoleus is native to the Old World where six subspecies are recognized.
P. d. demoleus,
P. d. libanius Fruhstorfer
P. d. malayanus Wallace
P. d. novoguineensis Rothschild
P. d. sthenelus Macleay
P. d. stenelinus Rothschild
Papilio demoleus in the Caribbean (recorded dates)
between 1994 and 2004 island
of St.
Martin / Sint Maarten
2004 Dominican Republic
2004 Dominican Republic
2006 Puerto Rico
2006 Jamaica
2007 Cuba
2011 May 29 Cayman Islands (first record), in West Bay, Grand Cayman
2014 Feb.18 Cayman Islands (second record), in East End, Grand Cayman
2016 Oct. 6 Cayman Islands (third record), in Lower Valley, Grand Cayman
2017 Jan. 3 Lizette Lane, West Bay Grand Cayman
2017 Jan.23 Memorial Ave, George Town, Grand Cayman
2017 Heritage Beach, East End, Grand Cayman
2017 March Raleigh Quay, Governor's Harbour, West Bay, Grand Cayman
2017 April 3 Columbus Close, George Town, Grand Cayman
2017 May 7 Memorial Ave, George Town, Grand Cayman
2017 May 17 Windermere St, George Town, Grand Cayman
2017 May 20 Governor Gore Bird Sanctuary, Savannah Newlands, Grand Cayman
2017 May 20 Newlands, Grand Cayman
2017 June 6 South Church St, Grand Cayman - 3 larvae on very small Lime tree
2017 June 7 South Church St, Grand Cayman - female butterfly ovipositing on almost leafless very small Lime tree
2017 June Little Cayman
2017 July 3 Vienna Circle, South Sound, Grand Cayman
2018 Oct.19 Batabano Rd, near Jubilee Lane, West Bay, Grand Cayman - 6
2019 Jan.2 West Bay, Grand Cayman
2019 Jan.29 West Bay, Grand Cayman - 6
2019 July 5 Rowley Rise, George Town, Grand Cayman
2020 Feb.16 Antoinette Ave, Grand Cayman
2006 Jamaica
2007 Cuba
2011 May 29 Cayman Islands (first record), in West Bay, Grand Cayman
2014 Feb.18 Cayman Islands (second record), in East End, Grand Cayman
2016 Oct. 6 Cayman Islands (third record), in Lower Valley, Grand Cayman
2017 Jan. 3 Lizette Lane, West Bay Grand Cayman
2017 Jan.23 Memorial Ave, George Town, Grand Cayman
2017 Heritage Beach, East End, Grand Cayman
2017 March Raleigh Quay, Governor's Harbour, West Bay, Grand Cayman
2017 April 3 Columbus Close, George Town, Grand Cayman
2017 May 7 Memorial Ave, George Town, Grand Cayman
2017 May 17 Windermere St, George Town, Grand Cayman
2017 May 20 Governor Gore Bird Sanctuary, Savannah Newlands, Grand Cayman
2017 May 20 Newlands, Grand Cayman
2017 June 6 South Church St, Grand Cayman - 3 larvae on very small Lime tree
2017 June 7 South Church St, Grand Cayman - female butterfly ovipositing on almost leafless very small Lime tree
2017 June Little Cayman
2017 July 3 Vienna Circle, South Sound, Grand Cayman
2018 Oct.19 Batabano Rd, near Jubilee Lane, West Bay, Grand Cayman - 6
2019 Jan.2 West Bay, Grand Cayman
2019 Jan.29 West Bay, Grand Cayman - 6
2019 July 5 Rowley Rise, George Town, Grand Cayman
2020 Feb.16 Antoinette Ave, Grand Cayman
2020 Aug.24 Lower Valley, Grand Cayman
2020 Aug.26 Miss Izzy's Schoolhouse, Farrington Lane, West Bay, Grand Cayman - 6
2020 Aug.28 Miss Izzy's Schoolhouse, Farrington Lane, West Bay, Grand Cayman - 6
2020 Aug.28 Miss Izzy's Schoolhouse, Farrington Lane, West Bay, Grand Cayman - 6
2020 Sept.15 Lyndhurst Ave, George Town, Grand Cayman
2020 Sept.16 Miss Keppie Lane, off Goring Ave, George Town, Grand Cayman
Between 1994 &
2004 Papilio demoleus in St. Martin / Sint Maarten
The island
of St. Martin / Sint Maarten is located at the extreme
north-east of the Caribbean Archipelago. A hinge between the Lesser and Greater
Antilles, the island lies between the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean
Sea. 7000 km/ 4350 miles separate it from Europe
(8 hour flight).St. Martin Wildlife Guide - Butterflies
“St. Martin is home to a modest number of butterfly
species. According to sources on the island, a number of species are no longer
present due to a combination of habitat destruction and mosquito spraying. Many
of the remaining species are quite common and can readily be seen by any
visitor.”
Cassius Blue (Leptotes cassius cassioides)
Checkered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus)
Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
Columella Scrub-Hairstreak (Strymon columella)
Disjunct Scrub-Hairstreak (Strymon bubastus ponce)
Florida White (Appias drusilla)
Great Southern White (Ascia monuste)
Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
Hall’s Sulfur (Eurema leuce)
Hanno Blue (Hemiargus h. hanno)
Little Yellow (Eurema lisa)
Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus)
Mimic (Hypolimnas misippus)
Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
Tropical Buckeye (Junonia genoveva)
Tropical Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus oileus
Checkered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus) St. Martin
“The checkered swallowtail, also called the common lime butterfly is one of the most common swallowtails in the world. According to one article, the first confirmation of this butterfly in the Western Hemisphere was in spring of 2004 in the Dominican Republic, which would seem to indicate a rather sudden and surprising spread of this species as it is currently seen commonly on the island, feeding at flower bushes.”
1999
Hurricane Lenny Nov. 13-23
Lenny
spent its entire lifespan (November 13-23) traveling in a west-to-east fashion
from the central Caribbean to the Atlantic,
which was unprecedented in the history of tropical record-keeping.
2004 Papilio demoleus in the Dominican
Republic
How did P. demoleus get to the Dominican Republic?
GENETICS
The Provenance of Old World Swallowtail Butterflies, Papilio demoleus (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae), Recently Discovered in the New World
How did P. demoleus get to the Dominican Republic?
GENETICS
The Provenance of Old World Swallowtail Butterflies, Papilio demoleus (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae), Recently Discovered in the New World
January, 2006
Rod Eastwood, Sarah Lyn Boyce and Brian D. Farrell
Rod Eastwood, Sarah Lyn Boyce and Brian D. Farrell
The
825-nucleotide haplotype (DL1) common to all Dominican Republic specimens also
was the most common haplotype recorded in Southeast Asia; thus, genetic and
morphological data independently have resulted in the same conclusion - the
butterflies collected in the Dominican Republic originated in Southeast Asia. Furthermore, the single
haplotype identified from 1,400homologous nucleotides in 24 P. demoleus specimens from the Dominican Republic suggests that
these were the progeny of a single introduction (founding bottleneck). That haplotype DL1 was common and widespread
in Southeast Asia, however, does not rule out
the possibility of multiple
introductions. Because the species was not recorded by Takizawa et al.
(2003) and despite regular insect collecting activties and intensive survey
conducted annually by field entomology students, it is reasonable to assume
that a single introduction took place shortly before they were captured in March 2004. The large number of specimens collected in late September 2004 (n = 24) from several new locations (Guerrero
et al. 2004, Wehling 2004), and recent collections by Ruth Bastardo from 200km
distant in the far wes of the country at Pedernales (June 2005) and La
Descubierta (August 2005) as well as north of the Cordillera Central near
Santiago (August 2005) indicates that P. demoleus is established locally and
expanding its range, even surviving severe storms in the Dominican Republic in
May 2004 and hurricane Ivan in early
September 2004.
How
did the butterflies get to the Dominican
Republic? There are several possible modes
of introduction. First, is the unlikely possibility that the species reached
there of its own accord. Records of P.demoleus
migrating in Asia (Williams 1938) and in Australia (Common and Waterhouse 1981,
Braby 2000) do exist; however, if the source population was located at the
western (Baghdad) or eastern (southern Japan) extremes of the range, it would
need to traverse distances exceeding 11,000 or 14,000 km, respectively, across
continents, oceans, or both, and there are no
recent records of the species at intervening localities. It is possible
that a batch of early stages was accidentally introduced from Southeast Asia on
air-freighted citrus products or equipment associated with the industry;
however, Wayne Wehling (USDA) thinks that the butterflies may have been
introduced deliberately for hobby interests or for release at a celebration
such as a wedding (Wehling 2004). Whatever the mode of entry, these swallowtail
butterflies are regarded as citrus pests in their home range, so their
introduction to and establishment in the Dominican Republic could impact
financially on the local citrus industry. Authorities are currently monitoring
the butterflies, and it is hoped that the outbreak can be controlled in the Dominican Republic, and prevented from expanding
into other citrus-producing countries in the Caribbean as well as mainland
North and South America."
2006 Papilio demoleus in Puerto Rico
Homziak,
N. T.; Homziak, J., 2006: Papilio demoleus Lepidoptera: Papilionidae: a new
record for the United States,
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Florida Entomologist 89(4): 485-488 Papilio demoleus in Puerto Rico
2006 Papilio demoleus in Jamaica
GARRAWAY et al.: Papilio demoleus in Jamaica
Scientific Note: Papilio demoleus
(The
Lime Swallowtail ) (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae), A Potential Pest Of Citrus, Expanding Its Range In The Caribbean
by Eric Garraway , Catherine P. Murphy And Grace-Ann
Allen
This pdf include a book review by Andrei Sourakov, McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida
Museum of Natural History, of Butterflies of the Cayman Islands, 2008 R. R. Askew & P. A. van B. Stafford.
2007 Papilio demoleus in Cuba
Nunez
Aguila, Rayner, 2007: Papilio demoleus Linnaeus, 1758 in Cuba Lepidoptera
Papilionidae. Boletin de la SEA 41 (31 Octubre): 440
2011 Papilio demoleus in the Cayman Islands
Invasive butterfly finds way to Cayman
By: Hannah Reid | hannah.reid@cfp.ky 05 July, 2011
2014 Dr.
R. R. Askew, on his recent visit to Grand Cayman, saw Papilio demoleus flying in the Captain
George Dixon
Park in East End
on two different occasions. He captured a specimen on Feb.18, 2014.
2012 Papilio demoleus in Europe
First record of the
Lime Swallowtail Papilio demoleus Linnaeus, 1758 (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae) in
Europe
The
Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera Volume
45: 85-89 2012
April
10, 2012 Portugal
Butterflies of the Cayman Islands 2008 R. R. Askew & P. A. van B. Stafford
This
book will enable the identification of each of the 57 species of butterfly that
has been recorded from the Cayman Islands.
There is a description of every butterfly, stressing its most important
characteristics, with photographs of living and mounted specimens. The
distribution, history and biology of each species are reviewed and the plants
which provide adult butterflies with nectar or feed their caterpillars are
tabulated. A general introduction includes a discussion of the affinities and
size of the Caymanian butterfly fauna. The three islands share most of their
butterfly species but each island has uniquely characteristic elements and five
subspecies live only in the Cayman Islands.
Knowledge is fundamental to conservation; it is hoped that both the casual
butterfly watcher and those more committed to the study of butterflies will
discover much of interest in this book and thereby make a contribution to the
continuing survival of these beautiful insects.
Heraclides
andraemon tailori (Rothschild & Jordan, 1906)
Cayman
Swallowtail butterfly - Papilio andraemon tailori = Heraclides
andraemon tailori (Rothschild
& Jordan, 1906)
Grand Cayman endemic, Family: PAPILIONIDAE.
Grand Cayman endemic, Family: PAPILIONIDAE.
Andraemon
Swallowtail - Papilio andraemon andraemon = Heraclides andraemon
andraemon Hübner, 1823,
flies on the Sister Islands - Little Cayman
and Cayman Brac.
The
indigenous larval food plants of Grand Cayman’s
endemic Swallowtail Papilio andraemon tailori are original growth
forest plants of the RUTACEAE family: Amyris elemifera Endangered, Zanthoxylum coriaceum Critically Endangered, Z. flavum Critically Endangered and Z. caribaeum (Critically Endangered).
It also feeds on introduced citrus; Butterflies of the Cayman Islands
Askew & Stafford, Apollo Books 2008 p.113.
Flora of the Cayman Islands by George R. Proctor, Kew 2012
The book is available from:
Plant Science Bulletin 59(3) 2013Review of the FLORA of the CAYMAN ISLANDS 2nd. Edition 2012 by George R. Proctor, p.138-142, by -Lee B. Kass, L. H. Bailey Hortorium, Department of Plant Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA. lbk7@cornell.edu
The Butterfly Farms
in the Caribbean
St. Martin NE Caribbean
St. Thomas NE Caribbean
Aruba S
Caribbean
Grand Cayman NW Caribbean
St. Martin Butterfly Farm
St. Martin Butterfly Farm Hurricane
History 1994-2004
Dec. 26, 1994 The Butterfly Farm in Saint Martin opened.
Sept. 5. 1995 Hurricane
Luis struck the island with devastating force. A 700-mile wide, Category 4
hurricane with 160-mph winds relentlessly battered the island for two days and
two nights as the eye wall stalled overhead. The island was ravaged, there was total destruction
and devastation that Luis‘s fury had reeked on the Butterfly Farm. Everything
was gone except two barrel pots that marked where the entrance had once
been.
Dec.26, 1995 The Butterfly Farm was rebuilt and re-opened.
July 8, 1996 Hurricane
Bertha. Category 3 struck the island.
Sept. 1998 Hurricane
George hit, packing 125-mph winds, was worse than Bertha, but not as bad as
Luis. The Farm was rebuilt again.
Oct. 1999 Hurricane Jose, Category 1 force winds
and torrential rainfall, caused minimal damage.
Nov. 18, 1999 Hurricane
Lenny, the “wrong way” hurricane,
stayed for two days and nights. The Farm was yet again all but destroyed. Lenny was not only a
powerful Category 4 hurricane at that time, but also became the strongest
November hurricane on record.
St.
Thomas, US Virgin Islands, Butterfly Farm
The
Butterfly Farm, St. Thomas
closed July 2010 because it was not achieving financial expectations. It
changed hands and was reopened as the Butterfly Garden.
St. Thomas Source, February 22, 2011
Aruba Butterfly Farm
Grand
Cayman Butterfly
Farm 2003-2009
2003
Feb. Grand Cayman Butterfly Farm opened. The butterflies, imported as pupae from
all over the world, were sent by courier from the London Pupae Supply, UK. No
species native to the Cayman Islands were
imported.
Imported pupae, sent by courier from the UK, from pupae suppliers around the world
The Butterfly Farm Gift Shop, Grand Cayman, March 2, 2008.
The live butterflies were in the meshed area on the other side.
2004
Sept. The butterflies inside the meshed area at the Butterfly Farm were
euthanized before Category 5 Hurricane Ivan hit.
2004
Dec. Grand Cayman Butterfly Farm was rebuilt and re-opened
2009
Oct. Grand Cayman Butterfly Farm closed down, due to a decline in visitors and
the cost of rebuilding the facility following Hurricane Ivan in 2004.
Grand Cayman Butterfly Attraction Closes Butterflies Unique to the Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands
hosts five endemic subspecies of butterflies:
Cayman Brown Leaf Butterfly Memphis verticordia danielana (GC and LC)
Cayman Pygmy Blue Brephidium exilis thompsoni (GC only)
Cayman Lucas’s Blue Hemiargus ammon erembis (GC only)
Cayman Julia, Flambeau Dryas iulia zoe (all three islands)
Cayman Swallowtail Heraclides andraemon taylori (GC only)
Cayman Islands Department of the Environment
Cayman Brown Leaf Butterfly Memphis verticordia danielana (GC and LC)
Cayman Pygmy Blue Brephidium exilis thompsoni (GC only)
Cayman Lucas’s Blue Hemiargus ammon erembis (GC only)
Cayman Julia, Flambeau Dryas iulia zoe (all three islands)
Cayman Swallowtail Heraclides andraemon taylori (GC only)
Cayman Islands Department of the Environment
