Stunner!

Yet another butterfly back from the brink.

This one is a Dainty Swallowtail (Papilio anactus), and this image was taken from quite a distance. We had intended to visit the Mt. Lofty Botanic Garden this morning but it was closed because of a State-wide fire ban. So we went on up to My. Lofty Summit instead, and I despaired of getting anything, other than the Common Browns and Painted Ladies I can get more comfortably in my own garden.

Then I saw this - you can almost always tell a new species from their flight patterns - this one is quite different to anything else I have seen. They don't call it Dainty for nothing.

Anyway, there I was, standing in the very hot sun, watching this thing flying back and forth, back and forth, and every time it looked like settling another group of laughing chattering people would walk past. Finally it settled for about 10 seconds, and I fired off half a dozen shots. This was the only one in focus, and I had no further chance to creep closer. Because - you guessed it - yet another group of insensitive laughing chattering people walked past.

This butterfly is - according to the book - common in Adelaide gardens, but in many years of butterfly watching, I never seen one before. The caterpillars feed on citrus trees, and honestly I've got a lemon tree going begging if a butterfly is interested. They also breed on native limes which are only rarely planted now.

There's a thought. I think I'll try and find me a native lime.