Spicebush Swallowtail

 

Spicebush Swallowtail | Spicebush Swallowtail is a common black swallowtail butterfly found in North America, also known as the Green-Clouded butterfly. It has two subspecies, Papilio troilus troilus and Papilio troilus ilioneus, mainly found in the Florida peninsula. Spicebush Swallowtail derives its name from its most common host plant, the spicebush, members of the genus Lindera. This predominantly Spicebush Swallowtail is normal in deciduous woods or woody swamps, where they can be found flying low and fast through shaded areas. Women tend to stay in open plains, while males are usually found in wetlands. 

 

 

Scientific classification
Kingdom:     Animalia
Phylum:     Arthropoda
Class:     Insecta
Order:     Lepidoptera
Family:     Papilionidae
Genus:     Papilio
Species:     P. troilus
Typically, the span of a Spicebush Swallowtail varies from 3 to 4 inches. Adults are mostly black / brown in color, with a trademark green-blue (male) or bright blue (female) splotch in the shape of a crescent on the hind wings. The front wing has a border of cream-colored, oval spots. In the middle section of the wing, the spots are moon-shaped and a light blue color. Both sexes have cream-yellow moon-shaped marks on the edges of the rear wings and a clear, orange spot on the basis of the wings. In women, the orange spot at the base of the wings with a green-white shade in the summer but not spring. 

 

The difference in color between the two subspecies is that the spots of blue color on the hind wing of P. troilus troilus more yellow color in the ilioneus subspecies. In addition, splashes of blue trail all the way down the tail of the ilioneus. Males patrol forests, roads and forest edges to find receptive females. Some females to lay eggs on the underside of the host plant leaves. Caterpillars live in shelters of folded-over leaves and come out to feed at night. Some chrysalids of each generation overwinter. 

 

Spicebush Swallowtail gain sustenance from eight major sources here are some examples: eating the leaves of host plants as larvae and drinking nectar as adults. Joe-Pye weed, jewel weed and honeysuckle are favorite sources of nectar for the adults. They are also known to drink nectar from Lantana, but thistles, milkweed, azalea, dogbane, mimosa and sweet pepper bush. Spicebush Swallowtails are able to thermoregulate their thoraxes better than other Papilio species, perhaps due to their darker body color and wing. This allows them to fly and at lower temperatures than their colleagues to feed. 

 

Spicebush Swallowtails often engage in "puddling", a form of behavior that occurs when the adults fly in search of food or friends. "Puddling" reflects the fact that while he was in either feeding or mating behavior, ie, when away from home; Spicebush Swallowtails usually stay in groups. These groups are usually located on the banks of the water, such as sand or wet ribs. If "puddling" in these groups, the Papilio troilus get moisture from the soil or sand near the water. Many animals are predators of the Spicebush Swallowtail. These species include birds, spiders, robber flies and dragonflies. All these creatures will try to both the adult Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies and young larvae eat.