Malabar Rose

The Malabar rose (or Pachliopta jophon), also known as the Ceylon rose, or Sri Lankan rose, is a swallowtail butterfly native to the rainforests of Southwestern Sri Lanka. It has white wings with black rims and veins, with red accents on the edge of the hindwing cells. Like many swallowtail butterflies, it has ‘tails’ extending from the hindwings. The body of the Malabar rose is black, with red stripes around the abdomen. Males and females look similar, though the female’s forewings are slightly larger with more visible patterns. The wingspan of the Malabar rose is 9cm to 13cm. Caterpillars of this species are black, with red antennae, except for one white segment in the middle of the body.