Bolivian Swallowtail

Heraclides lamarchei

first update d. 19 february 2016

  last update d. 19 february 2016

Caranavi, elev. 600 m. d.  31 January 2012. Photographer: Lars AndersenYolosa, Rio Coroico elev. 110 m. d.  19 January 2012. Photographer: Lars AndersenHeraclides lamarchei. Yolosa, Rio Coroico elev. 110 m. d.  19 January 2012. Photographer: Lars AndersenHeraclides lamarchei. Yolosa, Rio Coroico elev. 110 m. d.  19 January 2012. Photographer: Lars AndersenCaranavi, Yungas. d. 29 january 2007. Photographer: Lars AndersenLamarc Swallowtail, Heraclides lamarchei (Staudinger, 1892). Caranavi, Yungas, Bolivia. d. 29 January 2008. Photographer: Lars AndersenLamarc Swallowtail, Heraclides lamarchei (Staudinger, 1892). Caranavi, Yungas, Bolivia. d. 1 February 2008. Photographer: Lars Andersen Caranavi d. 24 january 2010.Photographer; Lars Andersen Caranavi d. 24 january 2010.Photographer; Lars Andersen

Bolivian Swallowtail, Heraclides lamarchei (Staudinger, 1892) Description: elegant black butterfly with bright yellow band in the outer midfield on forewing and rearwing, and long tails on the rearwing.

Habitats: This swallowtail are found in many different habitats including tropical rainforest up to cloudforest, at elevation between 600 m. and around 1200 m.

Behaviour: the butterfly is only active in the bright sunshine until 12 o'clock noon when the midday heat is worst that they fly into the forest shade for a siesta until late afternoon where they again fly around searching for females.

Both sexes visit flowers high up in canopy of flowering trees and shrubs.

Males are often seen along the river beaches and dry river beds, imbibing mineralized moisture. They are regel seen singly, but sometimes several gather together, regel amidst aggregation of Nymphalids and Perids.

Foodplants: The larvae maybe feed on Rue, Rutaceae family.

Distribution: from the Andes eastern mountain valleys of the Yungas (especially in Caranavi valley along the Rio Coroico) in Bolivia to northwestern Paraguay.

Similar species: in Brazil there are a rare similar lockalike species Brazilian Swallowtail, Heraclides himeros with small yellow band in submarginal band on the rearwing uppersides, and tails with less sway on rearwing.

Heraclides torquatus torquatus . Taipiplaya, Caranavi, elev. 800 m. d.  22 January 2012. Photographer: Lars AndersenHeraclides lamarchei.  Caranavi d. 24 january 2010.Photographer; Lars AndersenHeraclides astyalus phanias. Caranavi, elev. 800 m. d.  16 december 2014. Photographer: Peter MøllmannHeraclides androgeus androgeus. Caranavi, Yungas. d. 9 february 2007. Photographer: Lars Andersen

Band-gapped Swallowtail Bolivian Swallowtail Broad-banded Swallowtail Androgeus Swallowtail
Heraclides torquatus Heraclides lamarchei Heraclides astyalus phanias Heraclides androgeus

Caranavi, Yungas. d. 19 January 2010. Photographer: Lars Andersen

Caranavi valley, Yungas, Bolivia January 19, 2010. Photographer; Lars Andersen

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Genus Heraclides (Hübner, 1819)

Genus Pterourus (Scopoli, 1777)

Mariposas de Bolivia

Butterflies in Northern America