Habitat: This species flies up to 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) in the Himalayas, but is most common at low elevations.

Behaviour: This butterfly is found in forest clearings. It is very common and is also seen amongst human habitation. It usually flies 2 to 4 metres above the ground. The butterfly is known to mud-puddle. The males are much more common than females. The female forms butlerianus and alcanor are especially uncommon.

Flowers: It visits flowers of Poinsettia, Jasminum, Lantana, Canna and Salvia. It usually flies 2 to 4 metres above the ground.

Host Plants: Pomelo, Citrus grandis. Lime, Citrus aurantifolia and
Kaffir Lime, Citrus hystrix (Rutaceae).

Range: North Eastern India (including Sikkim, Assam and Nagaland), Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nicobar Islands, Andaman Islands (stragglers only), western, southern and eastern China (including Hainan), Taiwan and southern Japan, Ryukyu Islands. Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Kampuchea, eastern and peninsular Malaysia, Indonesia ( Sumatra, Mentawai Islands, Nias, Batu, Simeulue, Bangka, Java, Kalimantan and the lesser Sunda Islands (except Timor, Wetar, Babar and Tanimbar).

Description and polymorphy:
Male. Tailless, above deep blue to black. It may or may not have red streak on the forewing at the base of the cell.
It has four male and many female forms, the females being highly polymorphic and many of them being mimics of unpalatable butterflies. This species has been studied extensively for understanding the genetic basis for polymorphy and Batesian mimicry. As many as twenty-six female forms are reported.

Family: Svalehaler,Papilionidae (Latreille, 1802). - 32 genera, 568 species.
Subfamily: Papilio (Linnaeus, 1758). 157 species.

Great Mormon, Papilio memnon (Linnaeus, 1758).
Subspecies:
P. m. memnon (Linnaeus, 1758). Java, Bawean, Natuna, Bangka, Borneo, Bali, Philippines (Mapun, Sanga Sanga).
P. m. agenor (Linnaeus, 1768). Sikkim - Assam - Burma - Peninsular Malaya, S.Yunnan, Canton, China.
P. m. anceus (Cramer, 1779). Sumatra, Nias, Batu.
P. m. thunbergi (Siebold, 1824). Japan.
P. m. lowii (Druce, 1873). Borneo, Philippines (Balabac, Palawan).
P. m. oceani (Doherty, 1891). Engano I.
P. m. merapu (Doherty, 1891). Sumba.
P. m. pryeri (Rothschild, 1895). Loo Choo Islands.
P. m. clathratus (Rothschild, 1896). Sumbawa.
P. m. subclathratus (Fruhstorfer, 1903). Flores.
P. m. coeruleus (van Eecke).
P. m. perlucidus (Fruhstorfer).
P. m. heronus Fruhstorfer, 1902
P. m. tanahsahi (Eliot, 1982). Malaysia, Perak, Gopeng, Ulu Groh.
P. m. kalaomemnon (Hachitani, 1987). Kalao.

Synonyms: Princeps memnon.

GBIF: Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
World distribution:
Great Mormon, Papilio memnon (Linnaeus, 1758).

The Blue Hour

In the evening when I sat by the riverbank in the small village of Sauraha with a cocktail called "Rhino's Horn" and watched the sunset. There was fantastic wildlife here, you could see the shepherds coming home with the goats and water buffalo, and the elephants coming home from work in the forest, as well as tourist jeeps driving across the river back from the Jungle Safari. Over the river sailers and swallows fly, as well as seeing the kingfisher stand on spinning wings and suddenly dive down for a fish.

Lars Andersen: A History of the Wildlife on the River in Chitwan National Park, Nepal. February 2000.