A Papilio demoleus, commonly known as the lime butterfly, lemon butterfly, or chequered swallowtail, sits on a leaf in a forest in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on July 18, 2026. Native to Asia and Australia, the widespread swallowtail butterfly primarily feeds on citrus plants like lime and lacks a prominent tail unlike most other swallowtails. It has a short lifespan, with males living around four days and females up to a week. The species has become invasive in areas including Hispaniola (in the Dominican Republic and Haiti), the Antilles in the Western Hemisphere, Mahé in the Seychelles, the Caribbean, and the Middle East, serving as a key model for studying rapid insect adaptation and spread. While the lime butterfly acts as a pollinator, its caterpillars feed intensely on leaves of plants in the rue family (Rutaceae), especially cultivated citrus like lime, lemon, and orange, causing heavy defoliation that severely stunts or kills young saplings in commercial nurseries. The species is ecologically significant as a widespread indicator species and agriculturally notable as a major pest to citrus nursery stock.
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