Papilio demodocus
Videos
Papilio demodocus, the citrus swallowtail or Christmas butterfly, is a swallowtail butterfly which commonly occurs over the entirety of sub-Saharan Africa, including Madagascar, besides the southern A
Citrus swallowtail Christmas butterfly 04
Citrus swallowtail Christmas butterfly fresh
An adult visiting ixoras in the garden
Early instar
Osmeterium
Videos
The osmeterium is a defensive organ found in all papilionid larvae, in all stages. The organ is situated in the prothoracic segment and can be everted when the larva feels threatened. The everted orga
Papilio demodocus
…the camouflage of their immature state. Instead, when threatened by a bird or other predator, they produce a forked, orange-coloured organ known as an osmeterium. The organ emits a strong smell which acts as a discouragement to the predator. The larvae are sometimes known as 'orange dogs'. The caterpillars attach…
Osmeterium of Papilio xuthus Larva. Upper: Osmeterium partly everted. Lower: undisturbed
Papilio demodocus larva everting its osmeterium fully, and with one horn applying the repugnatorial secretion to the finger that irritated it