Graphium agamemnon

Tailed Jay or Green-spotted Triangle Butterfly

Basic Information

General information

Family: “Papilionidae”
Sub Family: “Papilioninae”
Estimated Lifespan 6 Days

Garden Specific Information

Estimated Number In Flight: 0
Total Number of Pupae Received: 2192
First Flown On: 10/14/02
Last Flown On: 03/24/23

Species Range:

  • “Australia” “Asia”

Host plants:

  • Magnolia grandiflora
  • Michelia alba
  • M. Compressa
  • Annona montana
  • A. Squamosa
  • Artabotrys uncinatas
  • Uvaria microarpa

Food Source

The adults feed on a variety of flowers but lantanas are one of their favorites. The males will also take up minerals from moist substrates.

Etymology Of Name

Graphium is the Latin word meaning “stylus”, a pointed instrument used for writing on wax. Agamemnon was king of Mycenae, leader of Greeks in the Trojan War.

Habitat

Widely distributed in open country sides at low elevations or in forest areas as a jungle insect.

Life history

Adult males fly over feeding sites releasing pheromones to attract the female’s attention. After mating the females lay their large, pale yellow eggs on the young shoots of the host plants.

Flights

The major flights are in the summer and fall, but the adults can also be found in small numbers throughout the year.

Fun Facts

Males tend to have longer tails on their hind wings than the females. Graphium agamemnon has many different common names. Some examples are: Green Spotted Triangle, Green Jay and the Green Triangle.