I have been trying to document the full life cycle of butterflies for sometime. After weeks of searching, I have finally photographed a life cycle of Common Rose----a swallowtail butterfly, thanks to a nature education park near my home.
The Common Rose butterfly is one of my favourite swallowtails even though it is a common species in South and Southeast Asia.
The Common Rose butterfly is one of my favourite swallowtails even though it is a common species in South and Southeast Asia.
Its striking red body and the bright red marks on the wings make it stand out not only in its environment but also in the swallowtail family.
The pretty colouration may seem beautiful to us humans but to its predators, it is a warning sign which indicates “poison”.
In fact, this butterfly is inedible because of the poisons it has obtained from its caterpillar food plant. Its predators seem to be well informed of the danger and often leave this butterfly alone. This strategy works so well that some edible swallowtail butterflies have even learned to mimic its appearance.
When the sun is hot, this butterfly prefers to rest in the shade which gives me the opportunity to get very close.
The egg of Common Rose is very colourful too.
The caterpillar inside this egg seems to be coming out any minute.
The life of the larva, with its poison at hand, is also high profile.
The pupas, on the other hand, are usually well hidden in small trees not far from its larva plant.
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