Papilio demoleus demoleus
Wallace 1865 - The Lime Butterfly
Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan.
A very common and widespread butterfly. Regularly seen in and around gardens, especially where they grow any of the Citrus family, such as Limes or Pomelo. It can not be mistaken for any other butterfly to be found on Koh Samui.
It is one of the smaller members of the Family, and has a rapid flight, rarely stopping its wings, even when feeding on common garden flowers, such as Ixora or Lantana.
This species's rapid expansion in the 20th century, to colonise such places as Borneo, Sumatra and the Philippines can be put down to the deforestation of those places and the spread of human habitation, with the subsequent planting of the hostplants.
Flight Period
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
Wingspan
60 - 80mm
Early Stages

Fully known. More detailed life history information is available from the following resource: ButterflyCircle Blog (courtesy of Dr. Horace Tan.)
Larval Foodplant
Citrus sp. and other Rutaceae.
Range
Indian sub-continent, Indo-China, Malayan Peninsular, including all Thailand.(Other subspecies can be found as far west as North-East Arabia and as far east as New Guinea and Australia).