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🚨 ARTHROPOD OF THE DAY 🚨

The Golden Birdwing, or Troides aeacus, is a sizable butterfly that's part of the swallowtail family, Papilionidae. These are found throughout East, South, and Southeast Asia tropical forests and reside in various regions, which include Northern India, Nepal, Burma, China, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, peninsular Malaysia, and Indonesia, usually in the range of 300 to 2000 meter above the sea level. In most areas, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List categorizes them as Least Concern species. Recently dubbed India's largest butterfly with a wingspan of 194mm, the Golden Birdwing dethroned the former record holder that had been documented by British army officer Brigadier Evans in 1932.

As a large species, they tend to favor open or sparse areas within the forest, which allows for ample room during flight. They can fly very high and are seen flying above the forest canopy. They also fly close to the ground too for nectarine. These striking butterflies can often be spotted near a flower's corolla where they blend in with fluffy pollen-covered hairs. This helps them with pollination. They feed on plants without causing significant disturbance. However, if you notice their numbers growing rapidly, it's essential to treat it with some gravity.

Both the caterpillars and adults of the Golden Birdwing species are generally toxic. They primarily feast on plants from the Aristolochia genus which contain aristolochic acid—a substance notoriously carcinogenic and nephrotoxic. This toxin can accumulate in adult worms and make them poisonous. However, humans shouldn't worry too much; these toxins mainly affect their prey and predators. Though ingesting such toxins could still harm humans on some level.

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