Bug FAQCommon Birdwing
Troides helena · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Papilionidae
The Common Birdwing (Troides helena) is a large butterfly found across South and Southeast Asia. It lives in forested areas and is also seen on Lantau and Hong Kong Islands. The caterpillars feed on plants such as Aristolochia indica, A. tagala and Thottea siliquosa.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The forewings are deep black with pale streaks beside the veins, while the hindwings are mostly silky yellow with black veins and a broad black border that forms cone-shaped markings.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The Indian subspecies T. h. cerberus is the most common form in India.
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
In Hong Kong it is protected under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance (Cap 170). All Troides species, including this one, are listed in CITES Appendix II.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is also recorded on Lantau Island and Hong Kong Island.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on Aristolochia indica, Aristolochia tagala and Thottea siliquosa.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There are seventeen recognized subspecies of Troides helena. The species is frequently collected and appears in the wildlife trade.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It belongs to the helena species group, which also includes Troides oblongomaculatus and the hybrid Troides × celebensis.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
What does the Common Birdwing look like?
The forewings are deep black with pale streaks beside the veins, and the hindwings are mainly silky yellow with black veins and a broad black border that forms cone-shaped markings.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the Common Birdwing found?
It lives in forested areas across South and Southeast Asia and is also seen on Lantau Island and Hong Kong Island.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the caterpillars eat?
The larvae feed on Aristolochia indica, Aristolochia tagala and Thottea siliquosa.
Source: Wikipedia
Is the Common Birdwing protected?
Yes, it is protected in Hong Kong under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance and is listed in CITES Appendix II.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Papilionidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troides_helena
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.