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Black Swallowtail Caterpillar

Papilio polyxenes

Photo by aswedishelf
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

Black swallowtail caterpillar in a defensive pose.

Notes:

He is on bronze fennel, one of the favoured host plants. I planted the bronze fennel last fall to attract them to my yard. I've had 7 caterpillars so far this spring.

The black swallowtail caterpillar has an orange "forked gland", called the osmeterium. When in danger, the osmeterium, which looks like a snake's tongue, everts and releases a foul smell to repel predators. -Wikipedia

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Photographed
PublishedJune 12, 2013

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