Graphium colonna, the black swordtail or mamba swordtail, is a species in the family Papilionidae, the swallowtail butterflies. It is found widely across sub-Saharan Africa, from West Africa to eastern and southern Africa. The butterfly is predominantly black with green markings and the characteristic “tail” on the hindwing. The species breeds throughout the warmer months, and its caterpillars feed on plants in the genera Artabotrys, Uvaria and Annona. Graphium colonna belongs to the clade antheus of the genus Graphium and was first described by Christopher Ward in 1873. This G. colonna butterfly was photographed in Maputo National Park, Mozambique.Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp
