xylocopa virginica , more commonly known as the eastern carpenter bee , extends through the eastern united states and into canada .

they nest in various types of wood and eat pollen and nectar .

the eastern carpenter bee is similar to most other bee species in that it does not have a queen ; in xylocopa virginica , dominant females are responsible for reproduction , foraging , and nest construction , though they may sometimes have help from their daughters .

xylocopa virginica is a sympatric species with xylocopa micans in the southeastern united states .

eastern carpenter bee

critter of the week : eastern carpenter bee the eastern carpenter bee is usually physically harmless , but its property damage can be a pain . check out this story on urltoken urltoken
the eastern carpenter bee is usually physically harmless , but its property damage can be a pain .
detailing the physical features , habits , territorial reach and other identifying qualities of the eastern carpenter bee .
the eastern carpenter bee is about an inch long , with a shiny black hairless abdomen that distinguishes it from bumblebees .
jason sharp marked
eastern carpenter bee ( xylocopa virginica )
as trusted on the
xylocopa virginica
page .
( 2016 ) recent and rapid diversification of the small carpenter bees in eastern north america .
first discovered : the first scientific description of the eastern carpenter bee was written by the renowned naturalist carl linnaeus in 1771 .
jason sharp marked
eastern carpenter bee ( xylocopa virginica ) ♂
as trusted on the
xylocopa virginica
page .
carpenter bees are also indigenous to countries with similar climates to the southern and eastern united states .
distribution : carpenter bees are found throughout the eastern united states southward to texas and northern florida .
species status : although there are no surveys to prove it , it’s presumed missouri’s eastern carpenter bee population is stable throughout the state .
the female eastern carpenter bee bores holes into wood homes , fences and patios to place her eggs while her mate plays the part of bodyguard .
species - group ( hymenoptera : apidae : xylocopinae ) of eastern north america .
yep . baiting the jar with a carpenter bee is a great way to attract more carpenter bees .
receiving effective preventive carpenter bee services can be difficult to find but cooper pest solutions’ carpenter bee prevention is effective for a number of reasons .
s . m . perez and k . d . waddington , “carpenter bee (
while the abdomen of the eastern carpenter bee appears shiny and black in colour , the thorax is yellow and fuzzy . eastern carpenter bees range in size from about 19 to 25 mm long , and the males and females differ slightly in appearance . males have a yellow patch on their faces , while the faces of females appear solid black . furthermore , female eastern carpenter bees possess stingers while males do not . as unaggressive creatures , female carpenter bees only sting when seriously provoked or handled .
the most common carpenter bee species is the xylocopa virginica and may be confused with the bumble bee . the carpenter bees and the bumble bees have distinct nesting behaviors .
carpenter bees destroy wooden structures with their circular hives . creature control provides professional , effective carpenter bee control treatments . read on to learn more about carpenter bees !
i have had 2 bee traps up for 2 weeks have taken around 25 carpenter bee prisoners they are hanging in my garage .
often mistaken for bumble bees due to similarities in size and colouring , the eastern carpenter bee , or xylcopa virginica , is noticeably different upon closer inspection due to the black , shiny abdomen of the insect . unlike bumble bees , carpenter bees are frequently found hovering around roof eaves , railings , windowsills , and other wooden structures . considered the most destructive species of carpenter bees , the eastern carpenter bee is a solitary insect that sometimes exhibits social behaviours .
the peacock carpenter bee lives in urban areas , forests and woodlands , and heath .
if you have an active carpenter bee infestation , follow these guidelines to exterminate them .
h . somanathan and r . m . borges , “nocturnal pollination by the carpenter bee
a . sadeh , a . shmida , and t . keasar , “the carpenter bee
family matters : carpenter bees belong to the insect family apidae , a large grouping which contains a number of species of bees . within this family , carpenter bees are divided into two genera ; genus xylocopa ( large carpenter bees ) and genus ceratina ( small carpenter bees ) . the genus xylocopa has approximately 500 species and sub - species worldwide , but the eastern carpenter bee is the most prevalent in missouri and throughout much of the eastern u . s .
make sure you put your trap as close to existing carpenter bee holes as possible . i had trapped a wasp withing one hour , and a carpenter bee withing 24 hours .
hurd pd ( 1958 ) the carpenter bees of the eastern pacific oceanic islands ( hymenoptera : apoidea ) . j kans entomol soc 31 : 249–255 .
while you are out exploring the forest and wildflowers of forest park this summer , keep an eye out for may’s species of the month , the eastern carpenter bee . the carpenter bee is one of many native bees that use missouri and its native wildflowers for habitat . the carpenter bee helps pollinate many native wildflowers and other garden plants while searching from plant to plant for nectar .
life of the carpenter bee , xylocopa virginica ( linn . ) ( xylocopidae , hymenoptera )
unlike other bee species , carpenter bees fly in an erratic , zig - zag pattern .
b . heinrich and s . l . buchmann , “thermoregulatory physiology of the carpenter bee ,
shell wa , rehan sm ( 2016 ) recent and rapid diversification of the small carpenter bees in eastern north america . biol j linn soc 117 : 633–645
our thanks to chrissy powell helmig for her hard work and research that went into this bumble bee information page . our appreciation to kansas state university for bumble bee vs . carpenter bee picture .
carpenter bee damage is well known for its exact , even holes . after a bee has burrowed in its nest , it leaves behind a precise
unlike termites , eastern carpenter bees do not eat wood as they excavate tunnels . instead , adults survive off the nectar of many different flowers . although the insects contribute to the pollination of many flower species , eastern carpenter bees often bite into the bases of flowers and steal the nutrients without pollinating . developing carpenter bees obtain nutrients from “bee bread , ” which is composed of pollen and regurgitated nectar by females .
carpenter bee abdomens are black , but a bumblebee ' s abdomen will usually have yellow markings .
the influence of maternal quality on brood sex allocation in the small carpenter bee , ceratina calcarata .
a male carpenter bee stealing nectar from the base of a penstemon . photo by juian cowles .
this carpenter bee catcher is just what i need . we will be making one . thanks .
getting rid of carpenter bees depends on the timing of the year . you can prevent carpenter bee infestations if you tackle the situation early enough .
please note that these plans are copyrighted . you may use them to build carpenter bee traps for your own use , but they may not be used to make and sell carpenter bee traps commercially .
when encountering black , almost round bees buzzing around their home most people do not know the difference between the bumble bee and carpenter bee . there are two basic things to note that should quickly let you know which bee you are seeing : location and activity of bee and certain physical characteristics of the bee . carpenter bees are most often noticed while they are building and tending to their nests which are simple , round openings in wood structures . if you see a bee that is boring out a perfectly round hole in wood , it is a carpenter bee . for more information about carpenter bees ( biology , habits , how to control ) go to the carpenter bee web page . bumble bees have a fuzzy abdomen and the carpenter bee has a shiny abdomen .
( 2016 ) characterization of pollen and bacterial community composition in brood provisions of a small carpenter bee .
it ' s no coincidence that i find carpenter bees and tiger bee flies in the local park .
hi joseph , i just added carpenter bee traps to my shop . you’ll find them here : urltoken
tiger bee flies hunt for carpenter bees ! when a female tiger bee fly locates a carpenter bee nest she may lay eggs at the entrance . the eggs hatch into larvae that find the carpenter bees within . tiger bee fly larvae usually wait until their prey is in the helpless pupal state , and then they eat it . notice that the tiger bee fly in the picture is visiting the kind of untreated unpainted wooden post that carpenter bees like to tunnel in .
hi mary , this is an eastern carpenter bee , xylocopa virginica , and according to bugguide : “large , black hairless abdomen , yellow pile on thorax . males have yellow / white face . common in eastern north america , and the only member of its genus in much of range . “ the light face on your individual makes it a male .
the
bumble bee
is a big , hairy , black and yellow bee whose size can range from 3 / 4 inch to 1 1 / 2 inch . this insect is often mistaken for a carpenter bee , which closely resembles the bumble bee in appearance . carpenter bees have a shiny and smooth abdomen as opposed to the fuzzy abdomen seen on a bumble bee .
after you’ve had a professional take care of your carpenter bee problem , there are a few ways that you can prevent carpenter bees from re - infesting .
. we also we have super plugs as an add - on - option in our carpenter bee kits .
for those considering a non - chemical approach to carpenter bee control , we recommend the best bee trap . this trap is specially designed to attract and trap the carpenter bees . if you have an existing carpenter bee infestation , hang it directly over the carpenter bee holes . if you do not have an existing infestation , hang the traps at peaks and corners of your home , preferably on the sunniest side of your house .
here is a brochure you may like - it has information about several bee types , including carpenter bees .
my husband put a dead carpenter bee into each jar before hanging them . seems to lure more in .
hi nolan , i just added carpenter bee traps to my shop . you can order them here : urltoken
when a female carpenter bee is looking to nest , she typically prefers bare , unpainted or weathered softwoods .
dr . cooper also pointed out how important timing is when it comes to plugging the carpenter bee holes .
the drone mating flight of the eastern honeybee ( apis cerana f . ) : duration , temporal period , and inter - flight period
large vs small within the united states carpenter bees are categorized in two genera – large carpenter bees ( xylocopa ) and small carpenter bees ( ceratina ) .
a carpenter bee pollinating flowers of aromatic sumac ( rhus aromatica ) . photo by jerry payne , bugwood network .
prevention is the operative word for carpenter bee control . prevent them before you have to get rid of them .
if you don’t have the time or tools to make your own carpenter bee traps , order some from our shop . we aim to ship the same day during carpenter bee season because we know you want those bees gone !
love the carpenter bee trap . i have built 3 of them and caught almost 40 bees in 3 weeks .
female valley carpenter bee , caught in flight , dusted with gold pollen . ( photo by kathy keatley garvey )
as with most bee species , eastern carpenter bees are ecologically important . while pest control specialists may be called in to handle infestations with pesticides , killing the bees is strongly discouraged . instead , homeowners should consider painting or varnishing external wood to deter carpenter bees , as the insects prefer untreated wood surfaces . another useful strategy for managing eastern carpenter bees involves purposely placing slabs of wood , which are ideal for burrowing , away from the home to give the insects a more suitable nesting option than household structures .
barrows em , 1983 . male territoriality in the carpenter bee xylocopa virginica . animal behaviour 31 : 806 - 813 .
figure 1 . adult large carpenter bee , xylocopa sp . photograph by paul m . choate , university of florida .
phil cooper , ceo of cooper pest solutions , explained that the beauty and nature behind carpenter bee drilling is incredible .
also , unlike other sorts of bees , carpenter bees are not social . each carpenter bee is solitary and dig their own , individual nests . therefore carpenter bees will not swarm and are usually seen alone . if the bees you are seeing are swarming , they are not carpenter bees .
carpenter bees are not indigenous everywhere . this species prefers climates with warm summers . homes in the southern states ( from arizona to florida ) and all eastern states are all at - risk for infestation .
we are not into controlling or recommending controls for our western nesting carpenter bees , as their contribution to pollination far outweighs any damage to structures . using untreated , unpainted redwood for arbors , fences and patio or lawn furniture in this area means learning to share with carpenter bees . however , the eastern carpenter bee , xylocopa virginica is perceived as a problem burrowing in wood structures . there is lots of information on the web about them and their control and eastern pest control companies have a lot of experience dealing with them . .
we have a similar approach . we spray the inside of carpenter bee holes with bee / wasp spray . this kills the bee and any eggs . then , we place sticks in the holes until the carpenter bees are done for the year . at that point , we remove the sticks , and fill the holes with wood filler . happily , since hanging our carpenter bee traps , we’ve had far fewer holes to deal with .
the smallest and the largest : a perdita minima on a female carpenter bee ' s head . photo by stephen buchmann .
figure 2 . small carpenter bee , ceratina dupla say , dorsal and side views . photograph by division of plant industry .
i had three carpenter bee traps made last year , and none of them worked . should i have uses treated wood ?
habitat : carpenter bees make nest burrows in wood with their jaws . they commonly nest in outbuildings and old barns . check out this cool video on carpenter bee tunnel and development !
both carpenter bees and bumblebees are large , intimidating insects with black and yellow markings . but bumblebee abdomens are much fuzzier than their carpenter cousins . while a bumblebee ' s will be covered in small hairs , carpenter bee abdomens are hairless .
dunn t , richards mh ( 2003 ) when to bee social : interactions among environmental constraints , incentives , guarding , and relatedness in a facultatively social carpenter bee . behav ecol 14 : 417–424
the most visible physical difference ( at a glance ) between this species and a bumblebee is the abdomen . eastern carpenter bees have a shiny black abdomen , with the only yellow hair present being at the base next to the thorax , while bumblebees have a very fuzzy abdomen , which in some species has large areas of yellow hair across the middle ( this is visible and obvious ) . the female eastern carpenter bee also has a much broader head than bumblebees . eastern carpenter bees can be sexed at a glance . males have a patch of white or yellow cuticle on the face , as opposed to females , whose faces are black . males are unable to sting , since a bee ' s stinger is a modified ovipositor ( an egg laying organ ) .
mitchell tb . 1962 . bees of the eastern united states . vol . ii . north carolina agricultural experiment station technical bulletin 152 : 1 - 557 .
figure 6 . entry hole drilled into structural wood by a large carpenter bee , xylocopa sp . photograph by university of florida .
d . gerling , p . d . hurd , and a . hefetz , “in - nest behavior of the carpenter bee ,
a live , working bee hive is a great thing to have in a classroom ! read our entfact about starting an observation bee hive .
the common eastern carpenter bee , xylocopa virginica , is the carpenter bee most often encountered in the eastern united states . it is often mistaken for a large bumblebee species , as they are similar in size and coloring . they can be important pollinators , especially of open - faced flowers , though they are also known to
rob
nectar by boring holes in the sides of flowers with deep corollas ( thus not accomplishing pollination ) . they sometimes bore holes in wood dwellings and can become minor pests . they use chewed wood bits to form partitions between the cells in the nest .
this is the fifth post in our
species of the month
series , written by park ecologist peter vanlinn . it ' s one of several 2014 initiatives meant to share knowledge we have about the park for those who love it . this month , we spotlight the eastern carpenter bee .
the article showed a picture , which was very helpful . the article confirms that i have a carpenter bee . i am using
your technician may use a dust product inside the current carpenter bee holes on your property as a remedial and / or preventive treatment .
ask a professional for confirmation . to an untrained eye , carpenter bee damage can be hard to verify . an exterminator is trained to recognize insect damage . if hired , they can confirm your bee infestation or identify an alternative source ( like carpenter ants or termites ) .
mitchell tb . 1962 . bees of the eastern united states . vol . ii . north carolina agriculture experiment station technical bulletin no . 152 : 1 - 557 .
carpenter bees will reuse holes from the previous season . cauk these holes in the fall , after the carpenter bees have emerged .
figure 3 . adult large carpenter bee , xylocopa virginica ( linnaeus ) , with wing venation evident . photograph by division of plant industry .
in this image , the carpenter bee is visible in a cell . photo courtesy pennsylvania department of conservation and natural resources , bugwood network .
t . keasar , a . sadeh , m . shilo , and y . ziv , “social organization and pollination efficiency in the carpenter bee
“unlike the bumble bee that typically builds colonies in the ground , the carpenter bee is a solitary bee preferring to live and nest alone in wood tunnels . carpenter bees do not consume wood , but their tunneling can be destructive to softwoods and hardwoods alike . under normal conditions they are not very destructive ; however , if several generations of carpenter bees have been tunneling in the same area , extensive damage is possible .
male eastern carpenter bees often hover around the openings to nests . although the insects may appear aggressive to humans , the bees usually guard against other insects and care little about people . still , spotting the large bees lingering around wood structures is an indication of carpenter bee activity or infestation . additionally , homeowners may notice accumulations of pulverized wood on the ground below nest entrances .
mcfrederick qs , rehan sm . 2016 . a novel approach for simultaneous investigation of pollen and bacterial communities in brood provisions of a small carpenter bee
k . hogendoorn and r . leys , “the superseded female ' s dilemma : ultimate and proximate factors that influence guarding behaviour of the carpenter bee
g . n . luow and s . w . nicolson , “thermal , energetic and nutritional considerations in the foraging and reproduction of the carpenter bee
i plan to add our carpenter bee traps to our shop today . i’ll get back to you as soon as i have a listing up .
entomologist dr . richard cooper said he hasn’t heard of an incident where a person was stung by a carpenter bee , but it is possible .
paint all of your unfinished wood on your property , outdoor buildings and furniture . freshly painted wood is even less attractive for a carpenter bee .
distribution : statewide throughout missouri and extending across eastern and east - central u . s and into southern canada ; the only member of its genus in most of its range .
griswold tl , michener cd . the classification of the osmiini of the eastern hemisphere ( hymenoptera , megachilidae ) journal of the kansas entomological society . 70 : 207 - 253 .
along with bumble bee queens , carpenter bees ( genus xylocopa ) are the largest native bees in the united states . there are numerous species of carpenter bees that inhabit a broad range of ecosystems from tropical to subtropical to temperate . in the united states carpenters bees can be found across the southern united states from arizona to florida and in the eastern united states , north to new york .
plug the holes during the fall months . if you plug the holes too soon , the carpenter bees may make another hole to exit . we offer plugs as an add on option in our carpenter bee kits .
the pupal phase of a carpenter bee is when it metamorphoses from a larva into an adult bee . during this inactive stage , the young bee is rather vulnerable . however , due to its intricate nest , it ' s safer than many other creatures that undergo metamorphosis . unlike others such as moths and butterflies , the carpenter bee larva doesn ' t have to build a cocoon ; rather , it makes its transformation while still in the brood cell .
if you currently have carpenter bees , your pest control technician will spray the liquid treatment in areas where carpenter bees are boring into wood .
carpenter bees attack unfinished wood under decks , sills , and decks first . varnish or paint these wood surfaces to make them less attractive to these bees . a fresh coat of paint is unattractive to a carpenter bee .
to detect a carpenter bee infestation , look for the telltale entrance holes drilled into wood where the insects typically prefer to nest . entrance holes are perfectly round and roughly 15 mm in diameter . the presence of males hovering around a wood structure is another sign of a carpenter bee infestation . male carpenter bees are known to guard the nest and aggressively ward off intruders .
life of the carpenter bee , xylocopa virginica ( linn . ) ( xylocopidae , hymenoptera ) | annals of the entomological society of america | oxford academic
description : though eastern carpenter bees somewhat resemble bumblebees , they have a distinguishable shiny black abdomen , whereas bumblebees ' abdomens are fuzzy and often contain a band of yellow . behavior can also help distinguish carpenter bees from bumblebees because carpenter bees are mostly solitary and excavate their nests in wood , boring a uniformly circular hole about 3 / 8 inch in diameter and leaving behind a small pile of sawdust .
eastern carpenter bees create nests by burrowing into wooden doors , windowsills , roof eaves , shingles , railings , telephone poles , wooden lawn furniture , decks , bridges , or any wood greater than 50 mm thick provides suitable space for the bee . eastern carpenter bees demonstrate a preference for coniferous wood and are primarily associated with forests in the united states and canada . the bees also prefer surfaces without paint or varnish . excavated galleries are an average of 10 to 15 cm long but may extend up to three metres in length with repeated use and when several females are nesting at the same time .
figure 7 . internal damage to structural wood by a large carpenter bee , xylocopa sp . , showing individual larval cells . photograph by university of florida .
we currently build them out of cedar because it’s a carpenter bee favorite . we have also built them out of pressure treated 4x4s . that works too .
carpenter bees are not aggressive . often , a carpenter bee preoccupied with something will not sting or flee when approached closely or even touched by a human , but merely raise one or two of its legs in the air instead .
well , this is really interesting . because i see both the tiger bee fly and the carpenter in my backyard going in and out of my wood all the time . so that ' s what they are doing in there . the carpenter bee ' s are pretty big , but they don ' t bother me . it ' s the tiger bee fly ' s that really creep me out !
the photograph below was taken in north - eastern france at the end of summer . it shows a number of nests made in a vertical sandy surface by mining bees , probably colletes sp .
, as uv light can pass through it and the bee sees it as open .
this common bee exhibits subsociality , with the female doing the majority of the work .
“male carpenter bees do not possess stingers , ” he said . “female carpenter bees do possess one but they need to be very seriously provoked . ”
an interesting trick to use to
move
a male carpenter bee out of the way is to pick up a small pebble ( roughly the size of the bee ) , then toss it past the bee . they will attempt to chase it , distracting them for a few moments , long enough for a human to get by .
tempo dust is a preferred dust for carpenter bee control . we carry a line of dusters that are handy for applying the dust . b & g bulb - r m1150 and jt eaton ' s bellow duster . the bulb - r m1150 duster has a curved tip that can reach into the carpenter bee holes very effectively .
some people consider carpenter bees pests because they drill holes or nest in wooden structures . however , their contribution to pollination far outweighs any damage to structures , according to native pollinator specialist robbin thorp , emeritus professor of entomology at uc davis . unlike the eastern carpenter bee species , which can be damaging to wooden structures , our central valley carpenter bees choose softer substrates for their nests such as pithy stems of plants , old logs , and untreated redwood . using untreated , unpainted redwood for arbors , fences and patio or lawn furniture in this area means learning to share with carpenter bees .
s . volynchik , m . plotkin , n . y . ermakov , d . j . bergman , and j . s . ishay , “presence of a thermoregulatory hot spot in the prothorax of the large carpenter bee and the bumble bee , ”
there’s no need to add sugar water , if you’re trying to catch carpenter bees ( the holes in the wood will attract them ) . you can however use sugar water or soda to turn the carpenter bee traps into a wasp trap .
male eastern carpenter bees are curious and will investigate anyone , including humans , that comes near their nests . the curiosity is often interpreted as aggressiveness ; however , the males are only aggressive to other male carpenter bees . they do not have stingers and cannot cause any real harm . the female carpenter bees tend to be busy with floral visitation and nest provisioning , but have the ability to cause a painful sting if captured .
balduf wv . 1962 . life of the carpenter bee , xylocopa virginica ( linn . ) . annals of the entomological society of america 55 : 263 - 271 .
rau p . 1928 . the nesting habits of the little carpenter - bee , ceratina calcarata . annals of the entomological society of america 21 : 380 - 397 .
carpenter bees can cause aesthetic property damage if left untreated year after year , so it is best to choose a professional to handle your carpenter bee problem if you haven’t already wrapped the wood being damaged . there are a number of ways a pest professional may treat for carpenter bees , but a few common ways are :
“bumble bees will be very aggressive defending their nest , ” he said “bumble bees are social bees so all of their sisters are genetic clones of one another . if a bumble bee were to die because of stinging someone , the bee is a sterile female so it doesn’t affect the reproduction of the bee . however , if a female carpenter bee stings , her reproduction is jeopardized . at that point , her life and reproduction cycle is finished , so the female carpenter bee won’t put herself at risk for that . the bumble bees will readily defend and sting because they have nothing to lose . ”
unlike termites , carpenter bees do not actually eat the wood they excavate . instead , the insects feed on the nectar and pollen of flowering plants . carpenter bees pollinate a wider variety of plants than other bee species and also remain in pollinating mode for a longer period of time during the year . as a result , carpenter bees play an important role in the natural environment . carpenter bees are unique among bee species because they will sometimes take nectar from a flower without pollinating the plant .
mitchell ( 1962 ) described the subspecies ceratina dupla floridanus from florida , but daly ( 1973 ) synonymized it simply as a more densely punctate , and brighter blue population of the typical eastern ceratina dupla .
rule out carpenter bees if you see external nests . if you see a traditional - looking bee nest hanging from a tree , you are likely dealing with bumblebees . carpenter bees burrow into the wood ( hence the name
carpenter
) , where females create various chambers to lay eggs and raise larvae . [ 3 ]
honey constituents up - regulate detoxification and immunity genes in the western honey bee apis mellifera .
i built the bee catcher as per instructions . hung it up near the bee holes . next day they all had left . no bees . why did this happen ? ? ?
i often see carpenter bees foraging in the flowers at brooklyn bridge park by the east river in new york city . but what ' s with this tiger bee fly ?
i am a master gardener in tennessee and the carpenter bee is considered a destructive pest here . it is not a pollinator . the bumble bee and honey bees are the pollinators . and with the use of gmo ' s and pesticides along with the mite problem the honey bee is loosing population very fast . look out on the price of fruits if the honey bee population dies out people should look for organic solutions to pest and disease control .
houseman , richard .
carpenter bees .
the university of missouri extension .
there are several species of carpenter bee in the united states , but the most common one is the virginia carpenter bee ( xylocopa virginica ) . these bugs are found throughout the southeast but range as far as connecticut to the north and texas in the west . carpenter bees range in size from about 5 / 8 of an inch to 1 inch and look very similar to bumblebees , but they ' re not the same .
even though bumble bees may not cause the aesthetic property damage that carpenter bees do , they can become a major health concern for individuals with bee sting allergies , especially if the bumble bee nests are near an entryway of a property or nested near a recreational area .
it also prevents light from entering giving the bee ability to go to it and fly back out . the only light a bee should see is the entry to the jar or bottle .
female carpenter bees use their teeth to make their nests , and soft wood expends less energy . paint can be poisonous for carpenter bees , and most shy away from decorated wood . cedar , pinewood , and cypress wood especially attract carpenter bees .
carpenter bees belong to the bee family ‘apidae’ , although they were originally classified with the family ‘anthophoridae’ . ( you can read more about the families of the different types of bees
s . w . nicolson and g . n . luow , “simulataneous measurement of evaporative water loss , oxygen consumption , and thoracic temperature during flight in a carpenter bee , ”
, anderson k ( 2013 ) microbial gut diversity of africanized and european honey bee larval instars .
breed md , robinson ge , page re . division of labor during honey bee colony defense .
thanks for this post . it helped me identify a tiger bee fly i saw in boston .
the eastern carpenter bee is faithful to its home , preferring to lay eggs in the same hole it was born in and hibernated in . females who leave the natal tunnel prefer to live nearby , often digging a new hole a few inches away in the same piece of wood . over many years , the bees may almost completely hollow out a single board , or a few boards , without ever touching adjacent pieces . thus , carpenter bee habitations tend to remain in one area . because each female produces only a few young bees each year , their numbers grow slowly .
figure 5 . large carpenter bee , xylocopa micans lepeletier , nest in twig ; entire twig ( top ) and longitudinal section ( bottom ) . photograph by division of plant industry .
rehan sm , berens aj , toth al ( 2014 ) at the brink of eusociality : transcriptomic correlates of worker behavior in a small carpenter bee . bmc evol biol 14 : 260
because of their value as pollinators some people allow carpenter bees to stay around the home in the early spring , living with the cosmetic damage caused . in some fruit growing areas carpenter bee populations are encouraged by supplying them with suitable blocks or boards of soft wood .
how sad ! i was marveling at the exotic - looking tiger bee fly yesterday in toronto , in the vicinity of my pollen - bee nest . now i learn the beauty is a beast !
another way to help prevent carpenter bee nesting is to keep all garage and outdoor buildings closed during the mating season of carpenter bees in which they are searching for a nesting area . if you are choosing to try a diy method to get rid of your carpenter bees , do your treatment at night because the bees are less active during the nighttime hours .
examine their size . bee size can vary depending on the climate and location , but carpenter bees are usually slightly larger than bumblebees . because of this difference in size , carpenter bees often look more formidable than other bees despite their lower likelihood to sting . [ 4 ]
carpenter bee adults use their nests over the winter and reemerge in the spring . if left alone , the pests may continue to use and expand the same tunnels or find new ones .
see the light colored patch on this carpenter bee ' s face ? that ' s how you can tell it ' s a male - - females don ' t have that mark .
figure 2 . differences in wing venation between the small carpenter bees , ceratina spp . , and the large carpenter bees , xylocopa spp . drawings by division of plant industry .
figure 1 . differences in wing venation between the small carpenter bees , ceratina spp . , and the large carpenter bees , xylocopa spp . drawings by division of plant industry .
one experience from one of our technicians : carpenter bee numbers will only increase if they are not treated . our technicians serviced a home in pinckney a few years back where an owner had allowed a carpenter bee problem to go untreated for several years . the population had exploded ; our technicians estimated no less than 1 , 800 holes on one single side of a cedar garage .
whether you currently have a carpenter bee or bumble bee problem on your nj or pa property , give cooper pest solutions a call at 1 - 800 - 949 - 2667 . our skilled technicians have the knowledge and tools to provide you with safe and effective bee removal . if you would like to prevent future infestations , cooper pest solutions offers preventative services that prevent any future bee infestations . our effective treatments are environmentally conscious and our service is guaranteed ! give cooper pest solutions a call today !
along with their difference in appearance , carpenter bees have a very distinct flying pattern . you can see carpenter bees darting and diving around as well as “chasing” each other . carpenter bees are also primarily solitary bees , whereas bumble bees are social bees that nest together .
balduf wv , 1962 . life of the carpenter bee , xylocopa virginica ( linn . ) ( xylocopidae , hymenoptera ) . annals of the entomological society of america 55 : 263 - 271 .
states at - risk for carpenter bee infestation include : arizona , texas , louisiana , missouri , alabama , georgia , florida , north / south carolina , virginia , maryland , and delaware .
if protected from the elements like rain , this residual insecticide will last 2 to 3 months . if applied in late winter the treatment will stay active through most of the carpenter bee season .
it is important that you do not try to plug carpenter bee holes before applying insecticide , as they are skilled diggers and this will only encourage them to dig out a new entry point .
note : spectracide now also sells carpenter bee and ground nesting yellow jacket killer foam . it has the same active ingredients as the termite foam , so use whichever one you’re able to find .
mitchell , theodore b . ( 1962 ) : bees of the eastern united states . vol . ii , the north carolina agricultural experiment station , tech . bul . no . 152 , pp . 557 ( p . 507 ff )
carpenter bees do not eat wood , which is a common misconception . this species chews wood to make their nests . like other bees , carpenter bees feed on pollen and nectar .
diet : carpenter bees feed on plant nectar and do humans a service by pollinating plants .
jacobs sr . , steve .
carpenter bees .
pennsylvania state university . january 2014
dr . cooper went on to describe why bumble bees readily sting compared to carpenter bees .
we have a lot of these where i live in sc . you will generally find the males swarming around more than the females . from what i have learned , the male bees don’t visit flowers much except to feed themselves , but they will swarm and “dogfight” each other . a distinct characteristic of the eastern carpenter male is that they will hover in the air , especially around you when you stumble into their nests . don’t worry though , the yellow patch between their eyes means they are a male , and they don’t have stingers . another way to tell the eastern carpenter from other bees is their shiny abdomen ( stomach part of the bug ) .
human connections : structural damage to timber can result when there are many nests and when woodpeckers enlarge the holes to feed on the larval or overwintering bees . because carpenter bees are important pollinators , some farmers encourage their presence by providing blocks of wood attractive to them and by not using pesticides that harm , such as neonicotinoids . humans can also promote pollination and carpenter bee production by constructing bee blocks ( artificial bee houses ) by drilling various sized holes into blocks of wood and posting them near flowers . these bee blocks will help improve your garden and keep bees away from wood structures on your house .
carpenter bees practice buzz pollination , an active method of collecting pollen grains . when it lands on a flower , the bee uses its thoracic muscles to produce sound waves that shake the pollen loose .
female carpenter bees sometimes cooperate during brood rearing , taking it in turns to guard the nest entrance while the main egg - laying bee goes out foraging for nectar and pollen to feed the larvae .
what type of bee is this ? march 31 , 2010 i have searched all morning trying to figure out what type of bee this is , but no luck yet . everything points to a carpenter bee , but i don’t think it is . they are swarming our patio , we live on the 4th floor of a condo . all have the yellow marking . thanks , mary hilton head island , south carolina
large and robust , carpenter bees measure about 25 mm in length and strongly resemble bumblebees at first glance . however , the carpenter bee has a shiny black abdomen devoid of hair , which contrasts with the hairy abdomen of the bumblebee and serves as the main point of physical differentiation between the two species . the thorax of the carpenter bee features a layer of yellowish or otherwise light - coloured hair . males have yellow markings on the head , while females do not . conversely , female carpenter bees possess a stinger at the tip of their abdomens , while the males do not .
, sheffield cs ( 2011 ) bee diversity in naturalizing patches of carolinian grasslands in southern ontario , canada .
beyond 9 - oda : sex pheromone communication in the european honey bee apis mellifera l . j chem ecol
the tiger bee fly , xenox tigrinus , seems to have more than its share of names . tiger is for the patterned wings . fly because it ' s a fly . bee because it preys on bees .
another alternative is that you have a male carpenter bee prospecting for a mate , having found an ideal nest site . anyone / anything is chased off , until a potential sweetheart arrives on the scene !
i just build the carpenter bee trap , very easy ! instead of hanging it , i mounted it on the overhang of a storage shed to keep it from swinging around during periods of high wind .
the little bee is a male mining bee , andrena sp . who seems to have mistaken the large male carpenter bee for a female of his own species . the male carpenter seems oblivious to the male miner he is transporting as he has eyes only for the female carpenter who has been sucking nectar from flowers . and by the look of the female ' s body language she is less than keen for the male carpenters attentions . there are around 360 species of andrena mining bees in europe and the near east , and over 500 species in north america . most are solitary , but some do nest communally .
not long after , i came home to find a bee drilled thorax - deep into my wooden garage door . i stroked its little bee - butt with my finger , causing it to withdraw and fly hastily away . i then sprayed insect repellent on the bee - hole . no bees ever bothered my garage door after that .
pollinator decline is a serious environmental issue and carpenter bees are being valued increasingly as important pollinators .
corona , lauren .
life cycle of carpenter bees
accessed july 09 , 2018 . urltoken
carpenter bees will take over an existing hole instead of making their own , if they can .
if you see a bee emerging from a hole in the ground or within a structure , that ' s a good indication that you ' re looking at a carpenter bee nest . to be certain , look at the entrance holes . a carpenter bee makes an entrance hole slightly bigger than her body , or just about ½ inch in diameter . the first inch or two of the tunnel is usually made against the wood grain . the bee will then make a right turn and extend the tunnel another 4 to 6 inches in the direction of the wood grain . carpenter bees will often eliminate their waste before entering their nest , so you might see yellow stains on the surface of the wood , just below the entrance hole .
for severe infestations of carpenter bees on cedar and log structures , you may need to repeat the treatments more than twice . we suggest an interval of two weeks for spray treatments . after each spray treatment , apply d - fense dust or tempo dust to all possible carpenter bee holes or entry points .
y . - w . zhang , g . w . robert , y . wang , and y . - h . guo , “nectar robbing of a carpenter bee and its effects on the reproductive fitness of
although female carpenter bees may only be causing aesthetic damage to your property by nesting , you may also notice increased woodpecker activity in the same area as the nest . this happens because woodpeckers find carpenter bee eggs to be quite a delicacy . unfortunately this can cause additional aesthetic damage to fascia boards on your home or property as the woodpeckers are pecking at the wood to get to the bee larvae that’s nested inside .
xylocopa bees look quite similar to bumblebees , so it ' s easy to misidentify them . look at the upper side of the bee ' s abdomen to differentiate the two kinds of bees . while bumblebee abdomens are hairy , the top of a carpenter bee ' s abdomen will be hairless , black , and shiny .
while one carpenter bee hole is not that big of a problem , the larvae that hatch in the nest will begin expanding the tunnel structure the following year . tunnel structures can become quite complex and do considerable structural damage . this damage can be extremely significant as a single house can theoretically host dozens of nests . it is not uncommon to find nine or ten carpenter bee holes on a single side of a home .
when you see a carpenter bee seemingly dive - bombing you , think twice about fleeing . you may consider these insects intimidating because of their huge size and loud buzz , but they’re actually very gentle and important pollinators in our environment . unlike honey bees , they have no hives to protect . carpenter bee females can sting in defense , but males , which may appear a bit more aggressive and territorial , cannot sting .
adult diagnosis : carpenter bees resemble bumblebees , but their abdomen is hairless and shiny black . they are covered with thick brownish - yellow or gray hair on the thorax . beneath the hair , the body is shining black or dark blue to greenish . typical body length for a carpenter bee is 19 mm .
carpenter bees resemble bumble bees , except that the backside of their abdomen is hairless , shiny and black . male carpenter bees are orange to yellow in color , but females are always completely black .
i think you are mistaking them for the ‘bumblebees’ that pollinate deep blossoms like blueberries . carpenter bees look similar to bumble bees . these traps only catch carpenter bees and a miniscule percentage of wasps .
ugh ! i feel your pain . i had the same thing happen to a new roof overhang that we built a few years ago . we caught our first carpenter bee within a couple days . since then , we’ve continued to catch carpenter bees on a regular basis . hope you have your first catch soon .


troides darsius , the sri lankan birdwing , is a species of birdwing butterfly found in sri lanka .

it is the largest butterfly on the island .

among the largest and most gaudy of the ceylon lepidoptera is the great black and yellow butterfly ( ornithoptera darsius , gray ) ; the upper wings , of which measure six inches ( 15 cm ) across , are of deep velvet black , the lower , ornamented by large particles of satiny yellow , through which the sunlight passes , and few insects can compare with it in beauty , as it hovers over the flowers of the heliotrope , which furnish the favourite food of the perfect fly , although the caterpillar feeds on the aristolochia and the betel leaf and suspends its chrysalis from its drooping tendrils .

troides darsius is the national butterfly of sri lanka .

troides darsius

here you can see some photos of troides darsius ( male above / female below ) . troides darsius is a member of the
troides darsius mf clementinae - male ( loc . : kandy , ceylon , 1922 )
troides darsius mf clementinae - male ( ventral view ) ( loc . : kandy , ceylon , 1922 )
troides darsius is a butterfly from the australasia / indomalaya ( australia ) ecozone . the distribution is restricted on sri lanka .
the fore wings are black . the underside of troides darsius is dark - brown . the veins are bordered by white colour .
troides darsius - male ( loc . : sri lanka ) ( coll . and photo : © mike j . howlett , uk )
troides darsius - female ( loc . : sri lanka ) ( coll . and photo : © mike j . howlett , uk )
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troides darsius - male ( loc . : gal oya , sri lanka ) ( coll . and photo : © mike j . howlett , uk )
troides darsius - female ( loc . : gal oya , sri lanka ) ( coll . and photo : © mike j . howlett , uk )
troides darsius is , like all other birdwings a true miracle of nature . this butterfly is strictly protected . it is listed in the appendix ii from cites .
troides oblongomaculatus is a member of the troides helena species group . the members of this clade are :
troides criton is a member of the troides haliphron species group . the members of this clade are :
the hind wings of troides darsius are black . there is a large golden area in the middle of the wing . the veins are black and they cleave the golden area . the underside is a copy from upside .
troides ( troides ) criton ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 81
troides ( troides ) haliphron ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 81
troides ( troides ) helena ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 80
troides ( troides ) oblongomaculatus ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 81
troides ( troides ) dohertyi ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 82
troides ( troides ) haliphron haliphron ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 81
troides ( troides ) helena hephaestus ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 80
troides ( troides ) oblongomaculatus bouruensis ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 81
troides ( troides ) oblongomaculatus thestius ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 81
troides darsius ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 203 ; [ bor ] , 14 ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 1 , pl . 2 - 3 , f . 1 - 4
troides ( troides ) criton selayarensis ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 82 ( hybrid ? )
. the first description was in 1852 by gray . the wingspan is about 15 – 17 cm . this butterfly is a member of the family papilionidae . troides darsius is black . it has a large golden area on the hind wings . the females are brown and have some white and golden spots .
troides ( troides ) rhadamantus rhadamantus ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 6 , pl . 14 , f . 1 - 4
troides ( troides ) rhadamantus plateni ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 6 , pl . 15 , f . 1 - 3
troides allottei rothschild , 1914 ; novit . zool . 21 ( 3 ) : 275
a monograph of the birdwing butterflies . the systematics of ornithoptera , troides and related genera
sri lanka birdwing ( troides darsius ) also known as ceylon birdwing has been declared as the national butterfly . this declaration was made in yesterday ( 24 / 03 / 2010 ) , under the recommendations of the butterfly expert group established under the environment and natural resources ministry through its butterfly conservation action plan . if you have captures of this butterfly pls post here .
troides aeacus malaiianus fruhstorfer , 1902 ; soc . ent . 17 ( 8 ) : 57
troides brookiana trogon ; [ bmp ] : 59 , pl . 1 , f . 1
it is the largest sri lankan butterfly with a wingspan spreading 165 - 180 mm . its large forewings are glossy black and hindwings bright yellow with a black margin making it ‘hard to miss’ when in flight . scientifically classified as troides darsius , this black and yellow butterfly - the sri lanka birdwing found only in sri lanka has just been named sri lanka’s national butterfly .
= troides brookianus ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 198
troides riedeli - male ( ventral view ) ( loc . : tanimbar ) | birdwing | pinterest
endemic to sri lanka ( ceylon ) , darsius is under considerable threats due to human overpopulation and environmental destruction . flies in thinly wooded forests , primarily on the south of the island . prefers medium altitudes ; local populations may still be abundant from may through july in parts of the island .
= troides haliphron naias ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 207
troides aeacus thomsonii ; [ bmp ] : 60 , pl . 1 , f . 4 , 5
= troides amphrysus gardineri ; fruhstorfer , 1902 , soc . ent . 17 ( 8 ) : 57
= troides priamus poseidon ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 188
= troides priamus poseidon ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 4 ) : 503
troides oblongomaculatus , the oblong - spotted birdwing , is a birdwing butterfly found in indonesia and new guinea .
= troides helena ab . pluto ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 217
troides tithonus waigeuensis rothschild , 1897 ; novit . zool . 4 ( 1 ) : 179 ; tl : waigeu
troides helena nereides fruhstorfer , 1906 ; insekten - börse 23 ( 24 ) : 94 ; tl : bawean i .
troides aeacus malaiianus ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 6 : 1 , pl . 4
troides aeacus insularis ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 6 : 1 , pl . 3
troides aeacus szechwanus ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 6 : 1 , pl . 5
troides amphrysus euthydemus ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 1 , pl . 18
troides amphrysus actinotia ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 1 , pl . 5
troides amphrysus astrea ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 1 , pl . 6
troides amphrysus chrysomelas ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 1 , pl . 7
troides amphrysus simeuluensis ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 1 , pl . 22
troides amphrysus perintis ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 1 , pl . 15
troides amphrysus kuris ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 1 , pl . 13
troides amphrysus merah ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 1 , pl . 14
troides amphrysus zeus ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 1 , pl . 23
troides andromache marapokensis ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 2 , pl . 26
troides andromache nishikawai ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 2 , pl . 27
troides cuneifera sumatranus ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 2 , pl . 31
troides brookiana natunensis rothschild , 1908 ; entomologist 41 ( 536 ) : 1 ; tl : burguran , natuna is .
troides criton ab . bernhardus fruhstorfer , 1898 ; berl . ent . zs . 43 ( 1 / 2 ) : 194
troides helena propinquus rothschild , 1895 ; novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 218 ; tl : sambawa i .
troides amphrysus gardineri fruhstorfer , 1902 ; soc . ent . 17 ( 8 ) : 57 ( nom . nov . )
troides ( ripponia ) hypolitus ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 80
troides brookianus brookianus ♀ - ab . eleanor ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 199
troides brookianus albescens rothschild , 1895 ; novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 199 ; tl : malay pen .
troides paradiseus ♀ - f . caliginosa fruhstorfer , 1908 ; int . ent . zs . 2 ( 8 ) : 50
troides haliphron ikarus fruhstorfer , 1904 ; dt . ent . z . iris 17 ( 1 ) : 140 ; tl : selaru
? troides helena mannus fruhstorfer , 1908 ; int . ent . zs . 2 ( 38 ) : 238 ; tl : bali
troides oblongomaculatus hanno fruhstorfer , 1904 ; ent . zs . 18 ( 7 ) : 27 ; tl : goram , banda ?
troides magellanus sonani ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 6 : 2 , pl . 13 - 15
troides amphrysus niasicus ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 1 , pl . 16 - 17
troides amphrysus vistara ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 1 , pl . 20 - 21
troides amphrysus chrysomelas parrott & schmid , 1984 ; can . ent . 116 : ( 1519 - 1524 ) ; tl : morotai
troides amphrysus hilbert ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 1 , pl . 10 - 11
troides cuneifera cuneifera ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 2 , pl . 28 - 29
troides miranda miranda ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 2 , pl . 32 - 35
troides miranda neomiranda ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 2 , pl . 38 - 40
troides miranda hayamii ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 2 , pl . 36 - 37
troides ( ripponia ) hypolitus cellularis ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 80
troides ( ripponia ) hypolitus sulaensis ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 80
troides ( ripponia ) hypolitus caelicola ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 80
? papilio ( troides ) chimaera dracaena joicey & talbot , 1922 ; bull . hill mus . 1 ( 2 ) : 320
papilio ( troides ) helena oblongomaculatus ab . sordidus joicey & talbot , 1924 ; bull . hill mus . 1 ( 3 ) : 565
troides amphrysus amphrysus ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 1 , pl . 1 - 3 , 12
troides paradisea flavescens rothschild , 1897 ; novit . zool . 4 ( 1 ) : 180 ; tl : etna bay , dutch new guinea
troides paradiseus meridionalis rothschild , 1897 ; novit . zool . 4 ( 1 ) : 180 ; tl : mailu district , british new guinea
the close evolutionary relationship between troides and ornithoptera butterflies is well demonstrated by the fact that commercial breeders have produced numerous hybrids between the two .
troides vandepolli vandepolli ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 1 , pl . 8 , f . 1 - 2
troides vandepolli parrottei ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 1 , pl . 9 , f . 1 - 2
troides critonides ♀ - f . cinna fruhstorfer , 1908 ; int . ent . zs . 2 ( 8 ) : 50 ; tl : obi
troides criton critonides ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 1 , pl . 6 , f . 1 - 6
troides haliphron pallens ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 2 , pl . 17 , f . 1 - 3
troides haliphron pistor rothschild , 1896 ; novit . zool . 3 ( 2 ) : 91 ; tl : kalao i . ; djampea i .
troides haliphor pistor ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 2 , pl . 14 , f . 1 - 3
troides haliphron purabu ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 2 , pl . 16 , f . 1 - 6
troides haliphron bellwoni ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 2 , pl . 18 , f . 1 - 2
troides staudingeri staudingeri ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 3 , pl . 20 , f . 1 - 4
troides staudingeri iris ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 3 , pl . 19 , f . 1 - 5
troides staudingeri ariadne ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 3 , pl . 20 , f . 5 - 6
troides staudinger heptanonius ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 3 , pl . 2 , f . 1 - 3
troides staudingeri ikarus ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 3 , pl . 21 , f . 1 - 4
troides staudingeri rikyu ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 3 , pl . 21 , f . 5 - 6
troides × celebensis ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 1 , pl . 1 , f . 1 - 5
troides helena heliconoides ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 2 , pl . 8 , f . 3 - 4
troides helena propinquus ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 3 , pl . 21 , f . 3 - 4
troides helena antileuca ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 3 , pl . 20 , f . 3 - 6
troides helena neoris ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 4 , pl . 29 , f . 1 - 3
troides helena mopa ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 4 , pl . 28 , f . 1 - 3
troides helena mosychlus ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 3 , pl . 24 , f . 1 - 2
troides helena ferrari ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 2 , pl . 8 , f . 1 - 2
troides helena bunguranensis ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 3 , pl . 25 , f . 1 - 2
troides helena hermes ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 2 , pl . 10 , f . 1 - 3
troides helena venus ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 3 , pl . 25 , f . 5 - 6
troides helena rayae ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 3 , pl . 20 , f . 1 - 2
troides helena orientis ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 3 , pl . 24 , f . 3 - 4
troides helena sugimotoi ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 3 , pl . 25 , f . 3 - 4
troides helena dempoensis ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 2 , pl . 15 , f . 1 - 2
troides oblongomaculatus bandensis ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 5 , pl . 44 , f . 1 - 3
papilio ( troides ) prattorum f . mixtum joicey & talbot , 1923 ; the entomologist 56 : ( 26 - 28 ) ; tl : buru
troides amphrysus kecilensis schäffler , 1999 ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 1 , 3 , pl . 4
troides aeacus formosanus ; [ mrs ] , 97 ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 6 : 1 , pl . 2
troides cuneifera paeninsulae ; ( spell . ? ) ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 2 , pl . 30
kurt rumbucher and oliver schäffler , 2005 part 21 , papilionidae xi . troides iv . helena - group . in erich bauer and thomas frankenbach eds .
troides criton , the criton birdwing , is a birdwing butterfly found on the islands of morotai , halmahera , bacan , ternate and obi in indonesia .
troides vandepolli honrathiana ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 1 , pl . 10 - 11 , f . 1 - 2
troides criton criton ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 1 , pl . 4 - 5 , f . 1 - 3
troides aeacus ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 223 ; [ bor ] , 24 ; [ mrs ] , 97
troides prattorum ; [ baur ] , 76 ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 6 : 2 , pl . 18 - 19
troides andromache marapokensis fruhstorfer , 1899 ; berl . ent . zs . 43 ( 3 / 4 ) : 419 ; tl : labuan , mt . marapok
troides andromache andromache ; [ bor ] , 10 ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 2 , pl . 24 - 25
troides haliphron f . loc . socrates ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 2 , pl . 15 , f . 2 - 3
troides ( haugumia ) magellanus magellanus ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 6 , pl . 16 , f . 1 - 3
995x754 ( ~ 52kb ) tekek / paya , tioman , malaysia , 12 - 96 , photo © s . shuichi haupt troides amphrysus det . mohd . fairus jalil
troides haliphron eleonorae rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 2 , pl . 18 , f . 3 - 6
troides helena demeter rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 2 , pl . 14 , f . 1 - 3
troides helena hypnos rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 2 , pl . 11 , f . 1 - 4
troides helena hahneli rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 3 , pl . 21 , f . 1 - 2
male ( left ) and female ( right ) representative of each birdwing genus : trogonoptera brookiana ( top ) , troides oblongomaculatus papuensis ( middle ) , ornithoptera goliath samson ( bottom ) .
troides oblongomaculatus hanno ; [ baur ] , 74 ( text ) ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 5 , pl . 45 , f . 1 - 3
= troides oblongomaculatus bouruensis ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 81 ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 4
papilio ( troides ) paradisea arfakensis joicey & noakes , 1916 ; trans . ent . soc . lond . 1915 ( 3 - 4 ) : 362 , pl . 58 , f . 1
troides staudingeri ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 208 ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 3 , pl . 19 - 22
troides helena sagittatus ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 3 , pl . 30 , f . 1 - 3 , pl . 31 , f . 1 - 3
troides helena nereides ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 3 , pl . 22 , f . 1 - 4 , pl . 23 , f . 1 - 3
troides helena typhaon ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 2 , pl . 12 , f . 1 - 4 , pl . 13 , f . 1 - 3
troides helena isara ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 2 , pl . 8 , f . 5 - 6 , pl . 9 , f . 1 - 3
troides helena euthycrates ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 1 , pl . 4 , f . 1 - 3 , pl . 5 , f . 1 - 3
troides oblongomaculatus ilonae ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 5 , pl . 50 , f . 1 - 3 , pl . 51 , f . 1 - 3
troides amphrysus ruficollis ; [ bmp ] : 60 , pl . 1 , f . 7 - 8 ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 1 , pl . 19
troides andromache ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 228 ; [ bor ] : 10 ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 2
the principal threat to troides butterflies is deforestation ( 6 ) . the ceylon birdwing is under considerable pressure from an expanding and encroaching human population , and from habitat destruction associated with human development ( 4 ) .
troides amphrysus flavicollis ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 231 ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 7 : 1 , pl . 8 - 9
troides haliphron naias ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 207 ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 2 , pl . 15 , f . 1 - 4
troides helena nereis ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 218 ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 2 , pl . 15 , f . 3 - 4
troides vandepolli ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 205 ; [ bor ] , 14 ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 1 , pl . 8 - 11
troides helena spilotia ; [ mrs ] , 96 ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 2 , pl . 6 , f . 1 - 3 , pl . 7 , f . 1 - 3
troides minos ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 203 ; [ bor ] , 26 ; rumbucher & von knötgen , 1999 , butterflies of the world 6 : 2 , pl . 16 - 17
kurt rumbucher and oliver schäffler , 2004 part 19 , papilionidae x . troides iii . in erich bauer and thomas frankenbach eds . butterflies of the world . keltern : goecke & evers isbn 978 - 3 - 937783 - 02 - 4
about 90 % of birdwing species were included ( supplementary table s5 ) . this sampling encompasses all described genera and subgenera , including 182 specimens of birdwing butterflies representing all 14 known ornithoptera species , 17 of 21 troides species , and the two species of trogonoptera . only four species ( troides darsius , t . dohertyi , t . minos and t . plateni ) were not sampled . most specimens come from museum collections and permits were obtained by the first author for species included in cites or iucn red lists . based on the most comprehensive phylogeny of papilionidae 41 , we also included representatives from all remaining troidini genera in order to implement secondary calibrations . thirty - one species of troidini ( from atrophaneura , battus , cressida , euryades , pachliopta and pharmacophagus ) were added to the dataset for that purpose . three mitochondrial genes ( cytochrome oxidase i , nadh dehydrogenase 5 , and 16s rrna ) and two nuclear protein - coding genes ( elongation factor - 1a and wingless ) were used . dna sequences were either downloaded from genbank 21 , 23 , 41 , 42 or newly obtained using standard molecular protocols 42 . taxon sampling and genbank accession numbers are given in supplementary table s5 .
birdwings are papilionid butterflies native to the indian subcontinent , mainland and archipelagic southeast asia and australasia , and are usually regarded as belonging to three genera : ornithoptera , trogonoptera , and troides . some authorities include additional genera . the exact number of species is debated , but most recent authorities recognize between 30 and 40 . birdwings are named for their exceptional size , angular wings , and birdlike flight . included among the birdwings are some of the largest butterflies in the world : the largest , queen alexandra ' s birdwing ( ornithoptera alexandrae ) ; the second largest , the goliath birdwing ( o . goliath ) ; and the largest butterfly endemic to australia , the cairns birdwing ( o . euphorion ) . another well - known species is rajah brooke ' s birdwing ( trogonoptera brookiana ) , a particularly attractive species named after sir james brooke , the first white rajah of 19th century sarawak . due to their size and bright colours , they are popular among collectors of butterflies , but all birdwings are now listed by cites , [ 1 ] thereby limiting ( and in the case of o . alexandrae completely banning ) international trade . troides darsius , popularly known as the sri lanka birdwing , is the national butterfly of sri lanka .
troides riedeli ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 211 ; [ baur ] , 72 ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 2 , pl . 7 , f . 1 - 3
troides plato ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 209 ; [ baur ] , 72 ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2004 , butterflies of the world 19 : 2 , pl . 1 , f . 1 - 3
troides oblongomaculatus oblongomaculatus ; [ baur ] , 74 ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 4 , pl . 32 , f . 1 , pl . 36 , f . 2 , pl . 37 , f . 1
haugum , jan ; & low , a . m . ( 1982 ) . a monograph of the birdwing butterflies . volume 2 , part 2 . troides ; amphrysus & haliphron groups . , klampenborg , denmark , scandinavian science press 2 ( 2 )
haugum , jan ; & low , a . m . ( 1983 ) . a monograph of the birdwing butterflies . volume 2 , part 3 . troides ; helena and aeacus groups . , klampenborg , denmark , scandinavian science press 2 ( 3 )
t . oblongomaculatus is the only troides species found as far east as new guinea . it has been assumed that the species originated in the moluccas and later penetrated into melanesia . it is a common species , the larva of which feed on aristolochia tagala .
troides helena helena ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 2 , pl . 16 , f . 1 - 5 , pl . 17 , f . 1 - 6 , pl . 18 , f . 1 - 4 , pl . 19 , f . 1 - 4
troides oblongomaculatus cyclop rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 4 , pl . 52 , f . 1 - 2 , pl . 53 , f . 1 - 2 , pl . 54 , f . 1 - 2 , pl . 55 , f . 1 - 2
darby , a . w . ( 1983 ) .
the female genitalia of the birdwing butterflies , part 2 . lepidoptera group 68 . vejle . 1983 . showing female genitalia of o . goliath procus , t . amphrysus ruficollis , t . a . flavicollis , t . miranda miranda , t . m . neomiranda , t . cuneifera paeninsulae , t . helena cerberus , t . h . hephaestus , t . oblongomaculatus oblongomaculatus , t . o . bouruensis , t . o . papuensis , t . aeacus aeacus , t . a . thomsonii , t . aeacus formosanus , t . rhadamantus rhadamantus , t . r . dohertyi , t . r . plateni , t . vandepolli vandepolli , t . v . honrathiana , t . criton , t . darsius , t . haliphron haliphron , t . h . socrates , t . h . iris , t . h . naias , t . h . pallens , t . prattorum , t . magellanus sonani , t . hypolitus hypolitus .
troides helena cerberus ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 219 ; [ bmp ] : 60 , pl . 1 , f . 2 , 3 ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 1 , pl . 2 , f . 1 - 4 , pl . 3 , f . 1 - 3
troides oblongomaculatus papuensis ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 214 ; [ baur ] , 76 ; rumbucher & schäffler , 2005 , butterflies of the world 21 : 5 , pl . 46 , f . 1 , 3 , pl . 49 , f . 2 , pl . 56 , f . 1 - 2 ( gynandomorphs )
birdwings are butterflies in the swallowtail family , that belong to the genera trogonoptera , troides , and ornithoptera . most recent authorities recognise 36 species , however , this is debated , and some authorities include additional genera . birdwings are named for their exceptional size , angular wings , and birdlike flight . they are native to the indian subcontinent , mainland and archipelagic southeast asia , and australasia .
the ceylon birdwing is one of the largest butterflies of sri lanka ( 2 ) . like most other troides birdwings , the male is adorned with bright golden - yellow markings on the hindwings , which contrast starkly with the velvety black forewings and interjecting black veins ( 2 ) . the female is larger than the male , and has a different arrangement of yellow markings on the hindwing , and pale stripes on the forewing ( 2 ) ( 3 ) .
orange - yellow eggs are laid singly on the young leaves and shoots of the aristolochia food plants , which are then voraciously devoured by the young caterpillars after hatching ( 3 ) ( 6 ) . feeding upon these plants also serves as a defensive mechanism as they contain certain chemicals that make the caterpillars toxic and therefore unpalatable to most predators ( 7 ) . the caterpillars eventually pupate and undergo metamorphosis into adult butterflies , and maintain these toxic chemicals in their tissues into adulthood ( 7 ) . the chrysalis of this species is dark brownish - yellow , or greenish - yellow in some individuals , and its leaf - like appearance helps camouflage it amongst the vegetation from potential predators ( 3 ) . troides birdwings typically pupate on the twigs or stems of plants close to the larval food plant or on the food plant itself ( 3 ) .
the colours of most species are pigmentary ( via papiliochrome ) ; but two species , troides magellanus and the much rarer t . prattorum , are noted for their use of limited - view iridescence : the yellow of the dorsal hindwings is modified by bright blue - green iridescence which is only seen when the butterfly is viewed at a narrow , oblique angle . this
grazing iridescence
is brought about through diffraction of light ( after back - reflection ) by the wings ' extremely steeply - set , multilayered rib - like scales ( rather than the ridge - lamellae of most other iridescent butterflies , such as morpho species ) . such limited - view iridescence was previously only known from one other species , the riodinid ancyluris meliboeus . in a . meliboeus , however , the iridescence is produced by ridge - lamellar scales and features a wider range of colours .
we tested the hypothesis that diversification was rapid in the early stage of the group as expected under the ecological opportunities provided by the emergence of regional islands . secondly , this diversity may have reached an equilibrium ( or has been bounded ) , meaning that it is saturated towards the present and diversification rates slowed down . we thus explored the effect of diversity on speciation and extinction rates using the method of etienne et al . 29 . we built five models : ( i ) speciation declines linearly with diversity and no extinction , ( ii ) speciation declines linearly with diversity and extinction , ( iii ) speciation declines exponentially with diversity and extinction , ( iv ) extinction increases linearly with diversity , and ( v ) extinction increases exponentially with diversity . the initial carrying capacity was set to the current species diversity , and the final carrying capacity was estimated according to the models and relative parameters . these analyses were performed for the whole birdwing butterfly clade and the genera ornithoptera and troides separately .
bayesian phylogenetic estimations yielded resolved trees indicating that all three genera and most species are monophyletic with high support ( supplementary text s1 and supplementary fig . s2 ) . the only marked exception was troides haliphron that was recovered as paraphyletic , suggesting that two molecular lineages with different evolutionary trajectories may be recognised ( t . h . haliphron plus t . h . purabu occurring in south sulawesi , and t . h . socrates plus t . h . naias in sumbawa to alor islands , supplementary fig . s2 ) . this pattern was independently recovered using different molecular datasets and as a result we provisionally recognize two species within t . haliphron . the first putative haliphron species would include the subspecies in the sulawesi region , i . e . t . h . haliphron ( southwest sulawesi ) , t . h . purabu ( batuata island ) , t . h . pistor ( bonerate , jampea , kalaotoa , and madu islands ) , t . h . pallens ( selayar island ) and t . h . eleonorae ( buton island ) . the second putative haliphron species would comprise the two subspecies t . h . naias and t . h . socrates , occurring in the lesser sunda islands ( alor , flores , solor , sumba , sumbawa , and wetar islands ) , and possibly t . h . bellwoni ( lucipara islands , moluccas ) .
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the declaration of a national butterfly is aimed at raising public concern on butterfly conservation . sri lanka birdwing was recommended as the national butterfly by the butterfly expert group established under the biodiversity secretariat of the environment ministry .
the recommendation for sri lanka birdwing has been made considering its unique characteristics - that it is endemic and also the largest butterfly found here . other facts - that the butterfly does not show pest behaviour at any stage of its lifecycle ; is not a vectoring agent of disease ; and is not associated with any negative cultural or spiritual beliefs , were also considered in the selection .
“another reason for choosing birdwing as sri lanka’s national butterfly is its wide distribution , ” says butterfly expert dr . michael van der poorten . the sri lanka birdwing is common in rainforest habitats in the wet zone , but is also seen in the intermediate zone and dry zone . however , more than the dense forests , the birdwing prefers forest edges – even home gardens .
“the birdwing can even be found in colombo suburbs . by planting its host plant , it can be attracted to home gardens , ” dr . van der poorten adds . the birdwing lays its eggs on the sap sanda plant and prefers to feed on ixora and pinna flowers .
the butterfly expert group is also preparing a butterfly conservation action plan . sri lanka is home to 243 varieties of butterflies of which 20 are endemic . of these , 66 species have been listed in a ‘threatened’ category , due to habitat destruction and environmental pollution .
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the ceylon birdwing is most active during the morning and early afternoon ( 3 ) ( 5 ) . the butterfly feeds on the nectar of flowers such as hibiscus , poinciana ( caesalpinia pulcherrima ) and bougainvillea ( 3 ) , and the larvae found on the leaves of aristolochia plants ( 3 ) ( 6 ) .
occasionally observed in lowland cities ( 5 ) , this species survives today mainly in its primary habitat of thinly wooded mountain forests , throughout the island with the exception of the far north ( 4 ) . the ceylon birdwing has been recorded from sea - level up to an elevation of 2 , 000 metres , but is now less frequently seen in the lowlands ( 5 ) .
the ceylon birdwing is listed on appendix ii of the convention on international trade in endangered species ( cites ) , meaning that any international trade in this species should be carefully monitored ( 1 ) . however , more needs to be done to help preserve its fragile habitat , including the aristolochia food plants on which the larvae rely , if the long - term future of this stunning native butterfly is to be safeguarded ( 6 ) .
authenticated ( 05 / 08 / 08 ) by john tennent , scientific associate , department of entomology , the natural history museum , london .
chrysalis pupa of a butterfly . endemic a species or taxonomic group that is only found in one particular country or geographic area . larvae stage in an animal’s lifecycle after it hatches from the egg . larvae are typically very different in appearance to adults ; they are able to feed and move around but usually are unable to reproduce . metamorphosis an abrupt physical change from the larval to the adult form . pupate the process of becoming a pupa , the stage of an insect’s development , when huge changes occur that reorganise the larval form into the adult form . in butterflies the pupa is also called a chrysalis .
haugum , j . and low , a . m . ( 1985 ) a monograph of the birdwing butterflies . scandinavian science press , klampenborg .
yen , s . h . and yang , p . s . ( 2001 ) illustrated identification guide to insects protected by the cites and wildlife conservation law of taiwan . r . o . c . council of agriculture , taiwan .
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the body ( abdomen ) is brown , but the underside is yellow . head and thorax are black . the underside of thorax has a red hair - coat .
sex differences : the female covers the upper range of the wing - span . it is significant - larger than the male . the basic colour of the female is brown . the veins are bordered by white colour . there is a golden area with dark veins on the hind wings . at the outer edge there is a chain of yellow spots . the underside is a copy from upside .
the first description of this butterfly was in 1852 by gray . there are no subspecies .
cites : ( convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora ) : - appendix ii - ( as at 12 . 02 . 2008 )
eu regulation on trading with species of wild fauna and flora : - appendix b - ( as at 19 . 08 . 2005 )
the ceylon birdwing is most active during the morning and early afternoon ( 3 ) ( 5 ) . the butterfly feeds on the nectar of flowers such as hibiscus , poinciana (
food plants , which are then voraciously devoured by the young caterpillars after hatching ( 3 ) ( 6 ) . feeding upon these plants also serves as a defensive mechanism as they contain certain chemicals that make the caterpillars toxic and therefore unpalatable to most predators ( 7 ) . the caterpillars eventually pupate and undergo metamorphosis into adult butterflies , and maintain these toxic chemicals in their tissues into adulthood ( 7 ) . the chrysalis of this species is dark brownish - yellow , or greenish - yellow in some individuals , and its leaf - like appearance helps camouflage it amongst the vegetation from potential predators ( 3 ) .
birdwings typically pupate on the twigs or stems of plants close to the larval food plant or on the food plant itself ( 3 ) .
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i don ' t think they ' re rare in sri lanka , i ' ve seen them flying when i was collecting in sri lanka .
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to cite this page : myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2018 . the animal diversity web ( online ) . accessed at https : / / animaldiversity . org .
disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .
this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation grants drl 0089283 , drl 0628151 , due 0633095 , drl 0918590 , and due 1122742 . additional support has come from the marisla foundation , um college of literature , science , and the arts , museum of zoology , and information and technology services .
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from sea level to 3000 feet elevation , rarer or absent towards the north . some different sites i have observed and shot it are , at the sand - dune near malala lagoon ( bundala national park ) and at panama sanctuary both from coastal areas , in hanthana - about 2000 feet elevation , in the trail to corbett’s gap ( knuckles ) - about 3000 feet high and in medirigiriya near kawudulla national park .
it is not uncommon in peradeniya university park and road to hanthana . butterfly seems to prefer wet zone as many observations are from wet zone .
this is a forest lover but visits open aeras of home gardens where nectar plants and its host plant aristolochia spp grow . frequently visible in riparian forest and open scrublands at forest edges .
it has quite slow wing beat but flight is moderately fast as its wings are larger .
host plants : aristolochia a delicate vine which is also a medicinal plant grows in fences of home gardens and forest edges .
is refered to as common birdwing together with the ' ceylon birdwing ' by many authers . but the term common birdwing is widely used throughout the tropic for varous
is confined to sri lanka the name ' ceylon birdwing ' is more specific and suitable for this magnificient sri lankan butterfly . and i suggest authors to give up continuous use of the name ' common birdwing ' for
bernard d ' abrera ( 1998 ) says
this regal butterfly is an appropriate choice for the national butterfly of sri lanka , in its simple colours of black and gold
. i honestly and strongly agree with him .
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cites is an international agreement between governments , aimed to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival .
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at present , sri lanka is inhabited by 246 butterfly species , 26 of which is endemic to the nation . the ceylon birdwing is one of the 26 and is the largest butterfly found in sri lanka . the male and female ( pictured here ) of the species can be distinguished by the difference in color .
ceylon birdwing is the largest butterfly in sri lanka . the male is jet black on both sides of its body with the exception of a large golden yellow patch on the hind wing , which is separated by black veins . the female is typically bigger than the male with white dustings beside the forewing veins . the variable golden yellow patch on the hind wing is reduced to form a separate , central patch and a sub - marginal row of patterns . distinct red patches on the thorax are seen in both sexes .
the adults feed on the nectar of flowers such as mussaenda frondosa , hibiscus , poinciana ( clerodendrum paniculatum ) and bougainvillea , and the larvae feed on the leaves of aristolochia indica . it is most active during the day and in the early afternoon .
the ceylon birdwing prefers forested areas but can also be seen in lush home gardens .
the ceylon birdwing is endemic to sri lanka , and it was declared the national butterfly of sri lanka on march 25 , 2010 . it is a common butterfly in the low - country wet zone , becoming scarce towards the hills and the dry zone .
deforestation is the principal threat to the ceylon birdwing as for the other species of butterfly .
the ceylon birdwing is listed on appendix ii of the convention on international trade in endangered species ( cites ) , which means that any international trade of this species should be carefully monitored . in the national iucn red list ( 2012 ) , it is categorized as least concern . however , more needs to be done to help preserve its fragile habitat , including the aristolochia food plants on which the larvae rely , if the long - term future of this stunning native butterfly is to be safeguarded .
jayasinghe , h . d . ( 2015 ) . common butterflies of sri lanka . colombo , sri lanka : ceylon tea services plc . pp 34
biodiversity secretariat , ministry of environment and renewable energy . ( 2014 ) . butterfly conservation action plan of sri lanka . retrieved from click - here
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haugumia page & treadaway , 2003 ; in bauer & frankenbach , butterflies of the world , suppl . 8 : ? ( 1 - 6 ) ; ts : papilio amphrysus cramer
ornithoptera ( troidini ) ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 82
papilio vandepolli snellen , 1890 ; tijdschr . ent . 33 : 22 ; tl : preanger mts , 5000 - 5500ft
ornithoptera honrathiana martin , [ 1893 ] ; berl . ent . z . 37 ( 4 ) : 492
bachan , ternate , halmahera , morotai , obi , celebes . see [ maps ]
larva on aristolochia vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 81
morotai i . , ternate , tidore i . , halmahera , kasiruta , sali i . , bacan i .
ornithoptera riedeli kirsch , 1885 ; proc . zool . soc . lond . 1885 : 275 , pl . 19 , f . 1 ; tl : timor laut
nychonia ( jordan , 1908 ) ( papilio ) ; in seitz , grossschm . erde 9 : 21
ornithoptera haliphron boisduval , 1836 ; hist . nat . ins . , spec . gén . lépid . 1 : 181 ; tl : celebes
larva on ( small - leaved ) aristolochia vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 81
ornithoptera staudingeri röber , 1888 ; ent . nachr . 14 ( 24 ) : 369 ; tl : loeang i .
ornithoptera haliphron heptanonius fruhstorfer , 1913 ; dt . ent . z . iris 27 ( 3 ) : 133 ; tl : dammer i .
ornithoptera helena f . celebensis wallace , 1865 ; trans . linn . soc . lond . 25 ( 1 ) : 39 ; tl : macassar
larva on aristolochia indica , bragantia wallichii [ bir ] , aristolochia tagala [ mrs ] , aristolochia , thottea vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 80
ne . india - burma , indo - china , thailand , malaya , s . yunnan
899x762 ( ~ 179kb ) upperside male thailand , phuket , the khao phra theo national park , a primary forest at the ton sai brook headwaters . 19th february 2009 , photo © oleg kosterin
822x830 ( ~ 191kb ) underside male thailand , phuket , the khao phra theo national park , a primary forest at the ton sai brook headwaters . 19th february 2009 , photo © oleg kosterin
rhyparia ( jordan , 1908 ) ( papilio ) ; in seitz , grossschm . erde 9 : 24
ornithoptera nereis doherty , 1891 ; j . asiat . soc . bengal 60 pt . ii ( 1 ) : 30 ; tl : engano i .
sciara ( jordan , 1908 ) ( papilio ) ; in seitz , grossschm . erde 9 : 23
ornithoptera helena mosychlus fruhstorfer , 1913 ; dt . ent . z . iris 27 ( 3 ) : 134 ; tl : n . borneo
ornithoptera helena euthycrates fruhstorfer , 1913 ; dt . ent . z . iris 27 ( 3 ) : 134 ; tl : tonkin , than - moi
helena ferrari tytler , 1926 ; j . bombay nat . hist . soc . 31 : 248 , 249
boano i . , ceram , ambon , haruku i . , saparuea i . , nusa laut i . , ceram laut i .
cellanigra ( rousseau - decelle , 1935 ) ( ornithoptera ) ; bull . soc . ent . fr . 40 : 48 ; tl : new guinea
nepal , bhutan , assam , indo - china - s . china , malay peninsula
larva on thottea corymbosa , t . dependens , ( for thomsonii ) [ bmp ]
philippines ( babuyanes group , bohol , calandagan , camiguin de mindanao , camotes , catanduanes , cebu , cuyo , homonhon , leyte , luzon , marinduque , mindanao , ne . minodoro , panaon , polillo , samar )