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Butterfly (Spicebush Swallowtail)

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Papilio troilus

Range

They are found in southern Canada into the U.S. south to Florida, west to Oklahoma and Texas.

Habitat

They live in woods, fields, and gardens.

Body Traits

They have dark front wings with yellow spots along the outer edges. The back wings have yellow spots along the outer edges too, but also have a row of blue patches closer to the body from them and a red spot on the inside of each wing. They have a wingspread of up to 2.25" wide.

Habits

Caterpillars will hide in rolled up leaves.

Diet

The caterpillar feeds on spicebush and sassafras leaves at night (nocturnal).

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Reproduction

Females lay one egg on a spicebush leaf. When it hatches, the caterpillar eats the leaves.

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Suborder: Macrolepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Genus: Papilio
Species: P. troilus

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