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Butterfly populations are a very good indicator of the health of an area's ecosystem !!
The Great Windmill is not considered rare or threatened.
They belong to the Windmill genus, Byasa, which is comprised of tailed black Swallowtail butterflies with white spots and red submarginal crescents.
Both sexes of Byasa dasarada are similar.
The female will often have a complete discal band of white spots on the hindwing.
They are a woodland butterfly that can often be spotted slowly and gracefully flying across clearings.
They usually fly at elevations between 4,000 and 9,000 feet (1,200 and 2,700 m) in the spring and summer.
They can regulate their body temperature through basking, a process unfamiliar to many insects, yet vital for their survival in varying climates.
They are not a poisonous butterfly, but have a special gland that secretes bad smells and chemicals.
Predators of adult Great Windmills are birds, spiders and humans.
Great Windmills are considered to be quite beautiful in appearance.
Diet: caterpillars feed on various plants.
Diet: adults take nectar from flowers, particularly those of the Asteraceae family. Attraction is primarily due to floral color and shape.
Wingspan: 10 – 14 cm. / 3.9 – 5.5 ”
Family: Papilionidae
The single biggest threat to butterfly survival is habitat destruction!!
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