Dragon Swallowtail (Sericinus montela) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

The Dragon Swallowtail is an East Asian butterfly with long, thin tails on its hindwings. The Dragon Swallowtail is not known to have an established wild population in the United States. In South Korea, its caterpillars feed only on Northern Dutchman’s pipe.

Appearance

Appearance: In South Korea, spring adults span about 2–2.2 in (50–55 mm), while summer adults span about 2.4–2.6 in (60–65 mm) and have longer hindwing tails.
Seasonal forms: Spring and summer generations can look noticeably different in size and color.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: riverbanks
field edges
forest edges
Range: It lives in eastern Asia. U.S. observers would not normally expect to find it in the wild.
Preferred conditions: In South Korea, the butterflies stay near patches of Northern Dutchman’s pipe. Mowing and pesticide use can remove food and egg-laying sites.

Behavior

Activity: Adults fly slowly and visit flowers. Korean observations also record them gathering on damp sand for water and minerals.
Overwintering: In South Korea, this butterfly spends the winter as a and has two or three generations in a year, depending on the area.

Life cycle

Larva: In South Korea, young caterpillars feed together before separating as they grow.
Caterpillar food plants: In South Korea, caterpillars feed only on Northern Dutchman's pipe (Aristolochia contorta).

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
Status: South Korea has assessed the species as Vulnerable on its national red list.
Threats: At studied South Korean sites, mowing and pesticide use reduced Northern Dutchman’s pipe, along with the butterfly’s eggs and caterpillars.

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