Introduction
Butterflies in the genus Protesilaus are characterised by having translucent white wings, tinged on the underside with green or yellow, and marked with narrow black stripes. The forewings are decidedly triangular in shape, and the hindwings adorned with a single long sword-like tail. The bodies are relatively short, and the antennal tips strongly recurved.
Protesilaus earis can easily be confused with other Swordtail species. One feature which helps to differentiate between the various Protesilaus species is the length of the dark bars on the forewing. In this species the 4th bar ( in ascending order from the wing base ) is reduced to a very small spot at the costa, whereas in most other species it extends to at least one-third way down the discal cell. Other distinguishing characteristics include the shape of the red tornal spot, and the configuration of the very thin submarginal crescents on the hindwings.
P. earis occurs in Ecuador and Peru.
Habitats
This species occurs in lowland rainforest at elevations from about 100-800m.
Lifecycle
To be completed.
Adult behaviour
Swordtails such as Protesilaus and Protographium are migratory in behaviour, following river courses as they travel.
Males can often be seen gathered on sandbanks, filter-feeding on dissolved minerals by continually pumping water though their bodies. This species invariably aggregates with other Swordtail species, often joined by various Pierids.