Charaxes jasius (1) Insect Butterfly Nymphalid Brush-Footed Nymphalidae

Charaxes jasius Male one wing lenght cm 3.5-4 Insect Brush-Footed or Four-Footed Butterfly Nymphalid Nymphalidae.
Common name: The Two-Tailed Pasha.
Syn. Charaxes major, Nymphalis jasius, Papilio jasius, Papilio jason, Papilio rhea.

Charaxes jasius (Linnaeus, 1767) is a moth belonging to the Nymphalidae family. It is the only European representative of the Charaxes genus, otherwise widespread mainly in the tropical belt of the Old World and in sub-Saharan Africa.
Its typical habitat is the Mediterranean scrub, up to 700-800 meters above sea level, mostly widespread in the coastal area.
The Two-Tailed Pasha is a medium-large sized butterfly, having a wingspan of between 70 and 80 mm. Seen from above, the butterfly has dark brown wings with orange edges. The hind wings bear two tails, characteristic of most species of the genus. The lower surface of the wings is reddish brown with numerous darker bands outlined in white or grey. Near the tails there are some blue dots.
Charaxes jasius has 2 generations per year. The caterpillar is green, cylindrical and has two yellow eyespots on its back. The head has four horns pointing backwards. The pupa is compact and remains hanging on the nurse plant.
It is a species with a very strong territoriality: especially in the reproductive period, male individuals defend and patrol a very vast territory, showing notable aggression towards other butterflies.
In the larval phase it feeds exclusively on the leaves of the strawberry tree plant (Arbutus unedo), hence its common name.
The adult prefers ripe fruits, from which it sucks the sugary liquids.