The Common Mormon is a black butterfly found in south-east Asia. The male is black with white spots on the lower wing. There are 3 types of females: Cyrus, being black with white spots with small red spots(looks like a male); Stichius has fewer white spots and more red spots; and Romulous has only red spots. In the video given at the end of this post, the butterfly laying eggs is Cyrus, the one hatching is Stichius and the one in the photo at the end of the video is Romulus.
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| Cyrus common Mormon |
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| Stichius common mormon |
The life cycle of swallowtail. Observed in February 2020. Like and subscribe!Scientific name:
Papilio polytes
Life cycle
The whole life cycle is shown in the video. Description for each stage is given below. The eyepiece was very useful here. The photo of the egg, larva, osmeterium, and its hatching are taken with eyepiece and phone.
Egg stage:
The Common Mormon butterfly lays eggs on a curry leaf plant (neem) or lemon plant, which are the host plants for the larvae. The eggs are yellow in color initially and the size of a mustard seed. The butterfly lays its eggs underneath the leaf. I have a neem plant and a lemon plant on my balcony so the butterflies come every year in the spring season.
Laying eggs
Egg of common Mormon/swallowtail
It is fascinating how they are able to find a neem or lemon plant in the concrete jungle I live in. It takes about 3-4 days for the eggs to hatch. The eggs turn darker and are completely black before the hatch. After hatching the larvae eat their egg shell first.
Eating eggshell
Larval phase:
The larvea are very vulnerable in the initial days after hatching, They usually fall off the plant due to wind or lose grip on dusty leaves. They are brown in color and resemble bird excreta in the initial stage.
As they feed on leaves and gain weight, their hairy skin is replaced by a smooth skin layer by the 2nd or 3rd instar. They shed their skin 4 times and each phase between that is called an instar. They resemble bird poop until 5th instar.
The caterpillars often feed on leaves very fast and then make a silk pad to get a firm grip and rest for digesting the leaves.
Caterpillar sitting on silk pad
Resembles Bird excreta
An osmeterium is a red membranous tissue that protrudes from their head when they are disturbed. This is a defense mechanism and a mimicry of snake. It also secretes a liquid that has a fruity smell. It is intriguing that they eat lemon leaves but give a sweet smell. Some show it in early stages and others in the 5th Instar.
In the 5th instar, they shed their brown skin and become green. In this instar they best mimic a snake. Their green body has eyes like patterns on their neck. When touched they show their osmeterium.
Emerging as a snake, leaving its old skin behind
Mimics a snake in the 5th instar
Showing the osmeterium to mimic a snake
They feed for about 4 weeks and then tie a silk thread to hang onto a branch for 2 to 3 days.
It takes about 5 to 7 minutes to shed their skin and emerge as chrysalis.
Pupa stage
The caterpillar forms a pupa that is either green or woody-brown in color depending on the background on which it builds the pupa/chrysalis. The pupa covering is very soft initially and is vulnerable to Chalcid wasps. To protect it from chalcid wasps I carefully cut the layer of the bark on which it made the pupa and pasted it on a toilet paper roll. Then I put this in a netted box.
The chalcid wasps make a small hole in the chrysalis and lay eggs inside it. The chalcid wasp's larvae eat the butterfly and dozens of new wasps emerge from the chrysalis. One of the chrysalides was almost infected by a chalcid wasp, but I spotted it in time. If the pupa is infected it will be bent outwards and the lower portion won't be firm. It will also have a dark pigmentation.
The pupa turns black before it hatches. It takes 10 to 12 days for the pupa to hatch.
Butterfly stage
The first chrysalis hatched when I was at school so I couldn't film it nor see it. When the second one turned black I knew it would hatch the other day. I had been up since 5:30 am waiting for the moment setting up my phone and eyepiece, and a camera too. I had my chemistry practicals exam of 11th grade that day, I left the camera outside and hoped it would get recorded. the video was not centered but yes, it got recorded.
The butterflies pump their wings which takes 15 to 20 minutes. The fluids from their body are pumped to wings by a rhythmic movement like peristaltic movement. Normally, it hatches in the morning. After expanding its wings, the butterfly dries it in the sun until they become firm. It is absolutely beautiful to watch it hatching. After few short flights, the butterfly starts a new cycle.
Hatching
Pumping wings
Feeding:
The Common mormon feeds on many small flowers like Ixoras and bougainvillea. The bougainvillea flowers in my balcony attract these butterflies.
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