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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies (excluding skippers) (Papilionoidea) » Swallowtails, Parnassians (Papilionidae) » Papilioninae » Papilio » Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes)
Photo#347338
This caterpillar was on a Red Bay tree in my yard in North Coastal South Carolina on 28 October 2009. It was late afternoon. - Papilio palamedes
Copyright © 2009 Jim Godfrey

This caterpillar was on a Red Bay tree in my yard in North Coastal South Carolina on 28 October 2009. It was late afternoon. - Papilio palamedes
Conway, Horry County, South Carolina, USA
October 28, 2009
Size: approx. one inch
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Contributed by Jim Godfrey on 28 October, 2009 - 8:02pm
Last updated 2 November, 2009 - 11:50am

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Abigail M. Parker, 2 November, 2009 - 11:50am login or register to post comments

looks like Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar
to me, Papilio troilus, but better wait for a butterfly expert to be sure.
Welcome to Bugguide!

… Andrew Williams, 28 October, 2009 - 8:22pm login or register to post comments

 
also check
Palamedes Swallowtail, I'm not quite sure of the differences but this one seems to explain. If I'm reading and looking correctly Spicebush looks better, but I don't know for sure.
… Jason Forbes, 30 October, 2009 - 10:18am login or register to post comments

 
based on that, I'd say Palamedes here
On the 1st abdominal segment (behind the "eyes" of the 3rd thoracic segment), the blue spots are slightly forward of the orange-brown patches. In the Spicebush, the blue spot is inside the patch - the photo Andy linked shows that well. The difference is very noticeable now that I'm looking at both species at the same time, but I'm sure I'll forget it by the next time I see one in the wild :-)
… Abigail M. Parker, 31 October, 2009 - 2:39pm login or register to post comments

 
yup, i see it now too - you're right :-)
..
… Andrew Williams, 31 October, 2009 - 4:00pm login or register to post comments

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