Papilio ulysses
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[Photo] Papilio ulysses Australia. Photography by Brian McKenna. Date 16 February 2007. Author Robert Nash Curator of Entomology Ulster Museum

The Ulysses butterfly (Papilio ulysses), also known as the blue mountain butterfly, is a large Australian swallowtail. The Ulysses butterfly has a wingspan of about 14 cm (5.5 inches). It lives in northeastern Australia along the coast of Queensland. It inhabits tropical rainforest areas and suburban gardens. The Ulysses butterfly’s favourite food plant is euodia (Melicope elleryana), a tree with clusters of small pink flowers growing straight out of the branches. The top of the butterfly’s wings are an iridescent electric blue; the underside is a more subdued black and brown colouration. The female of the species differs from the male in that she has little crescents of blue in the black sections of her hind wings. When the butterfly is perched the intense blue of its wings is hidden, helping it to blend in with its surroundings. When in flight the butterfly can be seen hundreds of metres away as sudden bright blue flashes. Its spectacular colouration has made it an emblem for Queensland tourism.

Males are strongly attracted to blue objects which they mistake for females. Females favour small trees up to 2 metres tall to lay their eggs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papilio_ulysses

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