Common jay
The Common jay rarely rests, gliding on stiff, fast wingbeats between the streamside puddles where dozens of males gather to drink minerals from wet sand.
| Where | Lowland forests and streamside puddling sites |
|---|---|
| Size | 37 to 46 mm forewing length |
| When | March to October |
The Common jay is a mid sized swallowtail with blackish brown wings crossed by two rows of pale blue green translucent marks, plus a short tail on each hindwing. Its flight is fast, direct and almost constant, rarely settling for long.
Caterpillars feed on the leaves of magnolia family trees, and adults are strongly attracted to damp ground, where large mixed sex groups puddle together for salts and moisture. Adults fly through most months of the year with several overlapping generations.
Traits
Habitat
Woodland
Colour
Black, Blue, Green
Active
Day
To people
Puddles at damp ground in groups; harmless to people.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Common bluebottle carries a single unbroken pale blue green band running straight across both wings, while the Common jay's markings form a broken row of separate spots and streaks.
Questions
Is the Common jay dangerous to people?
Puddles at damp ground in groups; harmless to people.
When can you see the Common jay?
The Common jay can be seen from March to October, by day.
Plate retouched from a museum specimen photo by Kahanpää, Jere, Finnish Museum of Natural History - Zoology Unit, CC BY 4.0, GBIF Licence
Report a mistake in this entry
Butterflies and moths›Swallowtails›Graphium
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.