El macaón (Papilio machaon) es una mariposa que vive en las regiones templadas, bosques y tundras de Europa, Asia y Norteamérica. Sus alas son de color amarillo pálido con un patrón negro grisáceo en la parte delantera y marcas negras azuladas con ocelos rojos en la posterior. Esta también cuenta con un par de colas extendidas. La especie no presenta dimorfismo sexual en el tamaño ni el aspecto, y su envergadura media es de 6,5 cm a 8,6 cm. Su oruga es rechoncha y de color verde claro con marcas negras y naranjas en cada segmento del cuerpo.
Latin Name
Papilio machaon
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old-world-swallowtail
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Animal Facts
The Old World swallowtail is the largest species of butterfly found in the UK.
The Old World swallowtail caterpillar has an orange organ, called an osmeterium, on its head which protrudes and produces foul odours when threatened to scare off predators.
The Old World swallowtail caterpillar is parasitized by a wasp species called Trogus lapidator that lays its eggs inside the body cavity of the caterpillar and feeds on it while it pupates, with the adult wasp emerging from the chrysalis.
The tongue of the Old World swallowtail is adapted to feed on flowers with many small, thin, tubular petals such as dandelions.
The Old World swallowtail is a fast, direct flier in comparison to many other species of butterflies.
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