This week's butterfly takes its name from two characters in ancient Greek history: Leonidas of Sparta, a war chief, and Leonidas of Epirus, a tutor of Alexander the Great.
Photo by Gcochrane13. The angle of their wings to the sun (and to the beholder) determine whether they look black and blue-white, or brown and tan.
Despite the distinction of the men called Leonidas, Graphium leonidas is common in southern Africa. According to ABDB-Africa, it can be found in:
It's so easily found and photographed that its life story can be told with photos from Inaturalist alone. In English it's called the Common and/or Veined Graphium, or Swordtail, or Swallowtail, or even Lady. Since its hind wings don't have tails, this web site endorses Common Veined Graphium as its name.
Photo by Name_name_name, taken in Nairobi. In the right light, they can even seem to glow.
Males and females look very much alike. The general rule for Swallowtails is that females are larger and have darker, less contrasting, better camouflaged colors. Some photos of couples show this tendency; some don't. Butterflies recognize each other by scent and male Leonidas have good-sized scent folds on the insides of their hind wings.
Photo by Ecodec_benin_org. Where wings and legs join the midsection (thorax), the undersides of the wings show a reddish flush that persists furthest into the wings along the veins. The red color shows alongside the wings more than on them, because butterflies' blood (or haemolymph, a word of Greek origin meaning "stuff that serves as blood and looks like lymph") has no color.
Photo by Surfnbird. The size of the pale spots relative to the dark background varies.
Adults tend to fly in early summer, which in their territory is December and January. Caterpillars tend to crawl in late summer and autumn, January to May. They have multiple generations and can be found at any time of year, but are most active in January. They can eat any of several food plants in the Annonaceae family; some may be healthier for the caterpillars than others.
They are usually found at low altitudes. Their food plants grow in relatively "open" woods and fields, but are sometimes found in rain forests. Male butterflies, especially, can be found along logging roads, perhaps attracted to the petrochemical residues some male Swallowtails help to break down. Photo evidence shows that adult butterflies don't feel a need to be the only one of their sex and species in a neighborhood; small groups of males sometimes hang out together at puddles, but they seem to prefer to be the one, or one of two or three, Graphium leonidas in a mixed flock. When not puddling male Leonidas like to claim a territory and "defend" it, flying at anyone who crosses through it.
Graphium leonidas has been divided into subspecies. By far the most common is the nominate subspecies, Graphium leonidas leonidas. A good half of photos online are clearly identified with the nominate subspecies. There has been some debate about whether some of the subspecies names were scientifically valid. Subspecies like zanzibaricus may have been documented during years when they had been removed from lists, then reinstated on newer lists. Subspecies pelopidas, santamarthae, and thomasius are recognized at Funet, but most sources don't seem to bother about subspecies.
In addition to the discussion of pelopidas and zanzibaricus linked, I found a description of the subspecies thomasius that said that the Graphium leonidas found on Sao Tome island have rounder wings, white bodies, and no reddish tint around the wing joints.
For historical interest, however, other subspecies names that have been proposed (though not recently used) include cymoides, djema, interniplaga, leucosina, mathieui, melusina, obliterata, omidale, petiveranoides, plagifera, subobliterata, umanus, vreuricki, and vrydaghi. There may be more. Most of these variant forms are now regarded as aberrations rather than distinct subspecies.
Its image has appeared on postage stamps and inspired all sorts of arts and crafts.
Photo by Max Baumgarten. Although males do some composting, both sexes are pollinators.
Photo by Desireedavis. Males get some safety benefit from joining large flocks during the hours they spend in open sunlight, sipping brackish water that contains the mineral salts they need. Other Swallowtails that share Leonidas' range are bigger; other butterflies in the flocks may be much smaller. The average wingspan for
Graphium leonidas is only about three inches. By African standards that's small...about the size of our Tiger Swallowtails, as distinct from our Giant Swallowtails.
Photo by Bartwursten. This little fellow appreciates a sweat-soaked sock.
Photo by Sydneybirding, taken in January in South Africa. The larger, stronger female is holding this male in mid-air. His wings are free if he needs to use them; his legs are tucked in.
Photo by Tomaschipiriburuwate. The species is not terribly toxic to birds. Many photos show butterflies with beak marks on the edges of their wings. Some lucky butterflies seem to have been grabbed by birds, and escaped, repeatedly. They fly for about two weeks, if lucky; by the end of that time some have had more than half of each hind wing torn away.
For Swallowtails these Graphiums look very similar to our Monarchs, and they are sometimes said to mimic a butterfly in the Danaid family, Tirumala petiverana, which is more toxic to birds. If they do, however, the birds don't seem to be deceived.
Photo by Zakari_Yao. Females lay eggs on the smallest, newest leaves.
Photo by Desiredarling, taken in January in Gabon.
Photo by Pieterkotze, taken in February in South Africa.
Photo from ABDB-Africa, taken in Ghana, by Szabolcs Safian. Any right-minded bird ought to see this as a scary face. Unfortunately the caterpillars aren't toxic enough to birds to back up their bluff.
Photo by Colin Hutton, taken in May in Ghana. Simple cryptic coloration, or does it look like a mantid to birds?
Written descriptions and photos of eggs, caterpillars, and pupae start on page 63 of this PDF:
