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In Queensland the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly (RBB) in classified as vulnerable and their food plants the Pararisolochia praevenosa are currently listed as rare and in decline and the habitats are becoming more fragmented and the previous prolonged drought exacerbated the decline. There is an exotic species the Dutchman’s Pipe Vine that attracts the RBB to lay eggs on it, but poisons the caterpillars after they emerge and feed on the leaves.

I have a handbook on the butterfly if anyone is interested. The butterflies wingspan is about 11 cms. It is green and black on the top the wings with a yellow abdomen and black thorax. The underwings are yellow, black and green with a red spot on the thorax – not easy to describe.

Eva Ford from the Mary River Catchment Co-Ordinating Committee (MRCCC) reports that the current known line of healthy breeding populations occur roughly from Cooroy through Belli Park to Kenilworth and Conondale. To the south populations seem to be secure. To the north between Gympie and Kenilworth there seem to be no records. Landcare are doing a lot of work in this area planting vines to reestablish the butterflies.