LIFE CYCLE OF COMMON MORMON BUTTERFLY
LIFE CYCLE OFCOMMON MORMON BUTTERFLY Genus: Papilio Linnaeus, 1758 Species: polytes Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies: romulus Cramer, 1775 Wingspan of Adult Butterfly: 70-85mm life cycle consists with egg,larval,pupal and adult stages. EGGS The eggs of the Common Mormon are laid singly on the young stem, the petiole or the underside of leaves of the host plant. The egg is pale creamy yellow with a finely roughened surface. It is nearly spherical with a diameter of about 1.2mm. LARVAL STAGES In the first 4 instars, the Common Mormon caterpillars resemble bird droppings as they rest on the leaves. After about 3 days in 1st instar, the caterpillar moults to the next instar. The 2nd instar caterpillar lasts 2-3 days with the body length reaching about 10mm before the next moult.The newly moulted 3rd instar caterpillar bears no drastic change in physical appearance except for more dark brown to black patches appearing on the mottled body, and the more prominent white saddle mark. This