About three weeks ago I was at the Mendota Hawk Watch site when Bob Riggs called me over to show me an unusual looking caterpillar. When I disturbed it, it assumed a posture that made its head appear larger. I photographed it and later found out that it is the orange version (normally green) of the Spicewood Swallowtail Butterfly caterpillar Papilio troilus. The large eye spots and fake mouth are evidently for scaring off predators. The third and final photo is an adult Spicebush Swallowtail. Roger Mayhorn Compton Mt
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