The wonderful Birdwing butterflies of Hong Kong
- Wildcreatures
- 12 minutes ago
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The wonderful Birdwing butterflies of Hong Kong
This is a three part special, today the butterfly, tomorrow the caterpillars and then the third day post will be the chrysallis.
There are two species of Birdwings in Hong Kong, and these are the only two butterfly species protected by law; they are the Common Birdwing and Golden Birdwing, which are visually very similar.
This is the male of the Golden Birdwing...
They are the largest butterflies in Hong Kong, and they have spectacular caterpillars (see tomorrow for pics and more info). Fleshy, spine-like tubercles (sometimes with contrasting colours), line the caterpillars' backs, and their bodies are dark red to brown and velvety black, often with pale "saddle" markings. The caterpillars—and later on the adults— are toxic, as the vines on which the caterpillars feed upon contain a poisonous compound.
FASCINATING FACTS Butterflies taste with their feet. To help them find their host plants and locate food, butterflies have taste receptors on their feet. A female butterfly lands on different plants, drumming the leaves with her feet until the plant releases its juices. Spines on the back of her legs have chemoreceptors that detect the right match of plant chemicals.
QUICK FACTS 95–160 mm Rare Similar Like other members of their family, birdwing caterpillars possess a retractable organ behind their heads called an “osmeterium". The osmeterium excretes a fetid terpene-based compound and is deployed when the caterpillar is provoked. The males can be very territorial. I have seen and photographed them having a dispute over territory, with mid-air fighting, resulting in serious damage inflicted on each other.
SEE THEM Look for the large-bodied males on patrol, hovering in the air in the butterfly garden of Kadoorie Farm. Here two males fight for their territory....quite dramatic, and often ends in significant wing damage....
I went to the butterfly garden at Kadoorie Farm on May 3rd 2018, to give a quick instruction on capturing insects in flight (which was hard, as it was overcast) and took the following photos of the Birdwing in flight.
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