Green-banded swallowtail

This magnificent black and iridescent bluish-green butterfly frequenst wooded areas, usually along rivers. It is particularly partial to wet sandy patches where it will spend long periods fluttering its wings and sucking up the moisture, often in the company of many others. The sexes are similar when viewed from above but the male has a distinct cream stripe across the underside of the hind wing. Green-banded swallow tails fly throughout the year. This species is also known as Princeps Nireus lyaeus.