Studies on Ecology and Behavior of Japanese Black Swallowtail Butterflies : I. Ecological Characteristics of Male Populations in Papilio helenus nicconicolens BUTLER and P.protenor demetrius CRAMER : Lepidoptera : Papilionidae

Abstract

The mark-and-recapture method was adopted to study behavior and population dynamics of the black swallowtail butterflies (BSB), Papilio helenus nicconicolens and P. protenor demetrius in Kodakasa-yama, Kochi City, Shikoku, Japan. The data were analyzed by JOLLY's method.Most of the butterflies captured at small gaps in the forest without nectar or host plants were males who frequently move in and out of these small gaps.The following diferrences were observed between P. helenus and P. protenor. First, the highest incidence of P. protenor in a small gap appeared earlier than P. helenus. Secondly, P. protenor males were more resident at their habitat, and thirdly, higher population levels with a larger fluctuation were observed in P. helenus both seasonally and annually.