SBBT

Saving swallowtail and birdwing butterflies

Donate

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Mission
    • In Brief
    • Patron & Board Of Trustees
    • Honorary Advisors & Coordinators
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Opportunities
      • Position Vacant: Trustee
    • Events
    • Important Documents
      • Constitution of the Swallowtail and Birdwing Butterfly Trust
      • Charity Registration
      • Privacy Policy
      • Annual Reports & Financials
  • Projects
    • World Swallowtail Day
      • “SAVING SWALLOWTAILS” CONFERENCE WORLD SWALLOWTAIL DAY 2021 REPORT
        • Saving Swallowtails Conference: 12 June 2021
      • WORLD SWALLOWTAIL DAY: 14 June 2020
        • SBBT Photography Competition Winners
        • Swallowtail Limerick Day
        • Colouring Book
      • WORLD SWALLOWTAIL DAY 2019 – REPORT
    • Conservation of the Swallowtail in Britain
      • Wheatfen Meeting Agenda and Speakers 27 June 2018
      • Meeting Report: Conservation of the Swallowtail in Britain
      • Report in the Guardian
    • Swallowtail Survey on Fiji Identifies New Species
      • SBBT’s Further Studies on the Natewa Swallowtail
    • Swallowtail Survey on Dominica
    • Homerus Swallowtail DNA Study
    • Kinabalu or Borneo Birdwing
      • Kinabalu Birdwing Project
    • Richmond Birdwing
    • Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing Project
    • Swallowtail MSC Studentships
  • Support Us
    • SBBT Gift Aid Form
  • Conservation
    • Saving Swallowtail Butterflies
    • Action Plan
    • Global Priorities
    • Research Needs
    • Top Ten Threatened Species
      • Graphium levassori
      • Graphium sandawanum
      • Ceylon Rose: Atrophaneura jophon
      • Southern Tailed Birdwing: Ornithoptera meridionalis
      • Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing
      • Wallace’s Golden Birdwing: Ornithoptera croesus
      • Homer’s or Homerus Swallowtail: Papilio homerus
      • Papilio moerneri
      • Papilio aristophontes
      • Luzon Peacock Swallowtail: Papilio chikae
    • Featured Species
      • Macleay’s Swallowtail
      • Richmond Birdwing
  • About Swallowtails
    • Biology
    • Distribution & Classification
    • Swallowtails & Humankind
    • Swallowtails & Science
    • Threats To Swallowtails
    • Captive Breeding & Release Of Butterflies
    • Key References
  • Swallowtails of the World
    • Swallowtails of the World – Take the Tour
    • Swallowtails of the World – Photos
    • Subfamily Baroniinae
    • Subfamily Parnassiinae
    • Subfamily Papilioninae
    • References
  • Publications
    • Books and Reports
    • Papilio! Newsletters
  • For Purchase
    • Shop
  • Contact Us
  • Latest News
You are here: Home / Conservation / Richmond Birdwing

Richmond Birdwing

The vulnerable Richmond birdwing (Ornithoptera richmondia) is the largest and showiest subtropical butterfly in Australia.  Protected in Queensland, it is ranked as a critical priority for conservation action by the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (DEHP), who are striving for its recovery in cooperation with the Wildlife Preservation Society. To go straight to information about SBBT’s grant to help captive breeding of the Richmond Birdwing click here.  To learn more about the butterfly and its problems, take a look at this excellent short film and then read on.

In the past, Richmond birdwings were relatively common in the region from Maryborough in south-east Queensland to Grafton and the Clarence River in the north-eastern corner of the adjoining state of New South Wales.  Early settlers even reported this species flying in the streets of Brisbane, Queensland’s capital.

Since then, Richmond birdwing populations have been severely affected by the loss and fragmentation of habitat, mainly rainforest, resulting in a significant overall contraction of the butterfly’s range.  The clearing and burning of understorey vegetation, invasion of riparian native vegetation by weeds and the mining of rainforest valleys for volcanic rocks are ongoing threats.  The poisonous South American Dutchman’s pipe vine (Aristolochia elegans) has become a serious invasive weed since its introduction as a decorative garden plant.  As the vine engulfs trees and other vines, chemicals in its leaves attract the Richmond birdwing to lay eggs, but the caterpillars are poisoned when they feed on the leaves.  Dutchman’s pipe is now classified as a restricted invasive plant and must not be given away, sold or released into the environment.

Currently, fragmented populations of the Richmond birdwing can only survive where host plants for the larvae grow.  Sadly, despite the presence of food resources, some populations of birdwings have disappeared over recent decades as a result of inbreeding, and the remaining isolated breeding colonies are at risk of local extinction due to a continuing decline in genetic diversity.

In the subtropical lowlands of south-east Queensland, the Richmond birdwing is solely dependent on one plant – a native species called birdwing butterfly vine (Pararistolochia praevenosa). Without it, the butterfly can’t breed.  Adult females locate this host plant using their olfactory senses. They lay their eggs on the underside of the vine’s leaves and, upon hatching, the larvae start eating.

In 2014, Wildlife Queensland raised funds for, and organised the planting of, 1000 host vines for the Richmond birdwing across carefully selected sites in Queensland’s south-east.  These first 1000 vines are well on their way to establishing desperately needed corridors between existing Richmond birdwing populations.

In addition, DEHP and the Department of National Parks Sport and Racing have jointly conducted a captive-breeding and release program.  This project involves selectively mating butterflies sourced from isolated populations to produce offspring with improved genetic diversity for release to the wild.  This work was initiated as an emergency conservation measure until the separate populations of Richmond birdwings are linked by restored corridors or stepping stones of suitable habitat.

By examining data collected by the active conservation group, the Richmond Birdwing Conservation Network (RBCN[1]), concerning the locations of birdwing sightings and both wild and planted birdwing butterfly vines, Wildlife Queensland has identified that the northern and southern populations of the butterfly are still separated by gaps in habitat and available food resources.

“It is critical that we connect these populations by creating stepping-stone populations of the vine to ‘join the dots’.  Without this, gene flow cannot occur, and the species simply will not persist in a healthy way,” said Matt Cecil, Projects Manager Wildlife Queensland.

Wildlife Queensland has therefore launched the “500 Vines Project”.  This will build on the success of 17 years of activity to stabilise Richmond birdwing populations in the region.  It will involve propagating and growing the vines in selected nurseries, planting them in strategically chosen locations and then maintaining them to ensure they have the best opportunity to survive.  Precise planting sites are selected based on suitability of habitat type, accessibility for planting and maintenance, and their proximity to one another (close enough for natural dispersal and colonisation to occur).

Along with the efforts of the RBCN, the involvement of state government authorities, local governments, conservation organisations and catchment management groups have been critical to the success of Richmond birdwing projects undertaken to date, including in eradicating Dutchman’s pipe infestations and planting birdwing butterfly vines.  This support will continue in the new “500 Vines Project”, which aims to strengthen the link between the two core populations of the Richmond birdwing in 2018.

Credit: Matt Cecil Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland www.wildlife.org.au

[1] For more information about the RBCN, see http://wildlife.org.au/richmond-birdwing-conservation-network/

Newsletter




    We want to keep you up to date!

    Sign up for our quarterly free newsletter and we will be in touch. Don't worry, we take care of your data and never release it to third parties. See our Privacy Policy for details


    Latest News

    Richard Bennett joins SBBT as Honorary Advisor on Captive Breeding

    20th July 2021

    Richard has bred butterflies for 55 years, starting in West Yorkshire and now in Watamu, Kenya. A zoologist trained at Oxford, for 30 years he has owned a butterfly farm supplying live exhibitions in USA and UK. His insight and knowledge of captive breeding will be key to the success of SBBT’s conservation projects.

    Richard Markham joins SBBT as Honorary Coordinator on the Natewa Swallowtail

    14th July 2021

    SBBT is delighted to welcome Richard as Honorary Coordinator for Natewa Swallowtail studies in Fiji, where he is closely involved with our project with NatureFiji Marequeti-Viti to conserve and breed Papilio natewa,  a very rare species discovered only in 2017. Richard is the Director of Kokomana Pte Ltd., a cocoa plantation and chocolate company based […]

    “Saving Swallowtails” Conference Now Available Online

    30th June 2021

    On 12 June 2021 SBBT held a very successful online videoconference on “Saving Swallowtails”. Fourteen presentations highlighted the most advanced swallowtail conservation projects in the world, ranging from Florida, Jamaica, Brazil and Kenya to the UK, Italy, Singapore, Australia, PNG and Fiji. These presentations are now freely available to download from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdB29sTt1KFJPc76X2PfEjg/playlists

    Useful Links

    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • For Purchase

    OUR APPEAL

    Swallowtails and birdwings are beautiful and graceful butterflies – who wouldn’t love to see them dancing in the sunlight or sipping nectar from wildflowers? But many species are under threat from agriculture, forestry and climate change. We have ideas, enthusiasm and a vision for the future. Will you help us to achieve our goals?

    GIVING

    Financial contributions are welcome and will be treasured. We also need your ideas, new information, suggestions and encouragement!

    Donate Today

    What We Do

    We do four things to help swallowtails and birdwings: we raise financial resources; convene networks and partnerships; catalyse action, and provide scientific and technical support.

    Contact Us

    Send an email to info@sbbt.org.uk, or post a letter to SBBT, c/o Hines Harvey Woods, Queens Head House, The Street, Acle, Norwich NR13 3DY, UK

    Connect

    • E-mail
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter

    Newsletter




      We want to keep you up to date!

      Sign up for our quarterly free newsletter and we will be in touch. Don't worry, we take care of your data and never release it to third parties. See our Privacy Policy for details


      © Copyright SBBT 2022 All Rights Reserved · Registered Charity 1174142