This butterfly is widely dispersed over Europe, Asia, and Africa, but
it is not found in England. It is of the same colour as the last
described specimen, but is not so large, measuring in expanse from two
and a half to three and a half inches. The tips of the fore-wings are
broadly marked with black, shading off to brown, crossed with a band of
white spots. Four of these spots are of a quadrilateral form, and much
larger than the rest. The outer margins of all four wings are bordered
with black, freely dotted with white. There are three black spots on
the centre of the hind-wings of the female; the male has four, the
fourth, which is largest, being placed under the principal vein. The
under is similar in markings and colouring to the upper side, but the
white spots are more pronounced, and the tawny yellow somewhat paler;
the apex of each fore-wing is moreover tipped with yellow, instead
of being black like the upperside. The larva is very similar to that
of the Plexippus. It is somewhat smaller, however, has six fleshy
horns instead of four, and the transverse gold and black stripes are
interspersed with white spots instead of stripes. It feeds gregariously
with the above variety on the “Arbol de Seda,” and appears at the same
time, in the same locality, and in equal numbers. When it changes to
the pupa state it resembles closely the bright green chrysalis of its
companion, only it is not quite so large.