Have you ever seen a butterfly that takes your breath away? Then you have to check out the Scarlet Mormon (Papilio rumanzovia)! This large and colorful swallowtail butterfly is native to the Philippines and lives in tropical forests, along forest edges, and sometimes even pops up in gardens.
Perhaps the most fascinating thing about the Scarlet Mormon is how different the males and females look. The males have black wings with bright red patches on the underside of their hind wings and lack the typical "tails" that many other swallowtail butterflies have. The result is a compact and streamlined butterfly that is both elegant and fast in the air.
The females, on the other hand, are true works of art. Some resemble the males, but others have large red or white patches mixed with black. They use their patterns as mimicry, which means they imitate poisonous or unpalatable butterflies to scare off predators. This is particularly clever, as the females are more vulnerable when they lay their eggs.
Scarlet Mormon beautifully illustrates how nature has different strategies for males and females: the male relies on speed and recognition, while the female uses color variation and protective patterns.
January 21, 2026
