Bug FAQCommon Mime Swallowtail
Papilio clytia · Order: Lepidoptera
Also called: Butterflies And Moths, Butterflies & Moths, Invertebrates (Butterflies), Invertebrates (Moths)
The common mime is a medium-large swallowtail with a wingspan around 11 cm (108 to 121 mm) and dark upper wings marked with distinctive white spots. It lives in hilly and lower-elevation areas of South and Southeast Asia and is most abundant before and during the monsoon season.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Both sexes have dark, velvety upper wings with a series of white spots near the edge; the spots vary in shape and position across the wing cells.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan measures between 108 and 121 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Found in hilly regions but also at lower elevations. Numbers peak in the pre-monsoon and monsoon periods and drop later.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Adults rest with wings spread while sipping nectar from flowers.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species shows two mimetic forms in each sex, copying different unpalatable butterflies. Its flight pattern mirrors that of the model species, sometimes low and fluttery, other times strong and high.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Most common before and during the monsoon; becomes scarce afterward.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Occurs across South and Southeast Asia, from the Himalayas through India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, southern China, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and nearby islands.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
One form mimics the common Indian crow butterfly, while the other mimics the blue tiger butterfly.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 51 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, California, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maryland, Illinois.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What does the common mime look like?
It has dark upper wings with a row of white spots near the edge; the spots differ in shape and placement across the wing.
Source: Wikipedia
When are common mime butterflies most abundant?
They are plentiful in the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons and become rarer later in the year.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find common mime butterflies?
They occur throughout South and Southeast Asia, including India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, southern China, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines and parts of Indonesia.
Source: Wikipedia
What do adult common mime butterflies feed on?
Adults feed on flower nectar, often resting with their wings spread wide.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family ()
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papilio_clytia
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.