Chinese yellow swallowtail
Its caterpillars mimic bird droppings when young, then turn green with bold eyespots before pupating, switching disguises as they grow.
| Where | Gardens, farmland and citrus groves |
|---|---|
| Size | 65 to 110 mm wingspan |
| When | April to October |
This swallowtail has bright yellow wings crossed by bold black bands and stripes, with short tails on the hindwings and a row of orange spots and a blue patch near the tail on the underside.
Caterpillars feed on citrus and other plants in the rue family, starting out looking like bird droppings before turning green with large eyespots in their final instar.
Traits
Habitat
Garden
Colour
Yellow, Black
Active
Day
To people
Harmless to people; adults often visit garden citrus trees and flowers without any risk to handle.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Similar yellow and black pattern, but the dark submarginal band reaches the wing base in a continuous dark patch on the Old World swallowtail, while the Chinese yellow swallowtail keeps pale yellowish white and black spotting all the way to the base.
Questions
Is the Chinese yellow swallowtail dangerous to people?
Harmless to people; adults often visit garden citrus trees and flowers without any risk to handle.
When can you see the Chinese yellow swallowtail?
The Chinese yellow swallowtail can be seen from April to October, by day.
Plate retouched from a museum specimen photo by Swiss Natural History Collections - SwissNatColl, CC BY 4.0, GBIF Licence
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Butterflies and moths›Swallowtails›Papilio
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.