Papilio ophidicephalus also know as the emperor swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. The word 'papilio' is Latin for 'butterfly'. Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies in the family Papilionidae, and include over 550 species.
Though the majority are tropical, members of the family inhabit every continent except Antarctica. The family includes the largest butterflies in the world, the birdwing butterflies of the genus Ornithoptera.
P. ophidicephalus is found in Sub-Saharan Africa. The wingspan is 90–110 mm in males and 100–120 mm in females. It has two broods, one from August to December and the second from January to April.
This was inspired by one of the exhibits of entomology collection of National Natural History Museum of Ukraine in Kyiv. Now it showing in the Museum as a part of the ENTOMOCOSMOS project.
Watercolour and ink on the 100% cotton 300g/m² ARCHES paper.
Dimensions: 36x50 cm | 14.1x19.7 in (delivered in a tube)
