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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies and Skippers (Papilionoidea) » Swallowtails, Parnassians (Papilionidae) » Papilioninae » Fluted Swallowtails (Papilionini) » Papilio » Black Swallowtail - Hodges#4159 (Papilio polyxenes) » Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes asterius)
Photo#193094
Green, Black and Yellow Catterpillar - Papilio polyxenes
Copyright © 2008 carolinapenn

Green, Black and Yellow Catterpillar - Papilio polyxenes
Chesnee, Spartanburg County, South Carolina, USA
May 27, 2008
Size: 2 to 2 1/2 inches long
I found these caterpillars feeding on my Rue plant in my backyard. They're there every year. At leat 10 to 12 can be spotted feeding on this plant. I wanted to get rid of the plant but hate to because these caterpillars seem to enjoy it every spring.
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Contributed by carolinapenn on 22 June, 2008 - 10:44am
Last updated 8 July, 2009 - 5:50pm

Moved
Moved from Black Swallowtail.
… David J. Ferguson, 8 July, 2009 - 5:50pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Butterflies.
… David J. Ferguson, 14 November, 2008 - 11:54pm login or register to post comments

probably a black swallowtail-
probably a black swallowtail--they also will eat dill, and fennel.
… Nina, 22 June, 2008 - 10:45am login or register to post comments

 
black swallowtail
Thanks for the info. I always look forward to seeing them every spring. They don't seem to be hurting the bush, I leave it for them.
… carolinapenn, 22 June, 2008 - 9:41pm login or register to post comments

 
it's food
the bush serves as food for the caterpillars so they can get big and full of food before they start to create their chrysalis and transform to a butterfly.

I purposely plant sacrificial items in my garden so I can have butterflies & moths visiting my garden and then I can see new ones go through their life cycle. I have extra tomato plants to host sphinx moths, mallow(hollyhock), parsley, dill and fennel for butterflies. I also have nectaring plants like butterfly bush, milkweed & verbena.
… Nina, 23 June, 2008 - 6:48am login or register to post comments

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