Papilio arcturus' preferred terrain includes forests and woodlands, agricultural and cultivated areas and urban and suburban areas.
   Adults are usually found in environments having abundant nectar sources, such as flowering gardens, meadows, or forest edges.
   To see the adult blue peacock swallowtail, these flowering areas are ideal because of their increased activity, particularly on sunny days.
    Certain individuals exhibit a fascinating behavior known as hill topping, where they congregate on hilltops to compete for mates.
    They are a large and striking butterfly.
   Their most distinctive feature and source of both their common and scientific name is the four bold eyespots resembling a peacock's ornate plumage marking each hindwing.
   The background color of the wings is an iridescent azure blue, especially vibrant in sunlight.     The edges of the wings are lined in black with a border of small white spots.
   Ventral wing patterns camouflage the butterfly at rest, with mottled greys, browns, and pale blue markings on the hindwings.
   The thorax is predominantly black, covered in blue scaling, and the abdomen is black with yellow lateral stripes. 
    Their brilliant blue hue and contrasting eyespots make the wings highly conspicuous during flight, attracting attention and contributing to this species' global recognition.
   When the butterfly lands, with wings closed, their cryptic ventral side allows them to disappear against bark and foliage.
   These markings serve as both vibrant advertisement and subtle camouflage. (a display of contrasting natural selection pressures.)
   Overall the Blue Peacock butterfly's unique physical traits, especially its namesake iridescent wings marked by four bold peacock eyespots, make this tropical Asian swallowtail one of the world's most instantly recognizable butterfly species.
   * While the Blue Peacock may seem abundant, its populations are under increasing threat from habitat loss and climate change.
   This is especially concerning in Nepal, where the Blue Peacock holds cultural significance and plays an important ecological role.
   They are a fascinating pollinator, fluttering from flower to flower in search of pollen.
    Their preference for vibrant colors and unique flower shapes guides them, as they incidentally deposit pollen, causing cross pollination while feeding on the flower's nutrients.
    Potential predators include birds, spiders, mammals, reptiles and insects (like ants and wasps).
   To protect themselves, they have a special gland that secretes bad smells and chemicals as a deterrent to predators.