Two-tailed Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar - Papilio multicaudata

This is a Two-tailed Tiger larva

double dark ring around pupil of eye spot is one thing to look for (though it's not always double, just often). Also, the location sounds a bit suspect (??) too low (??) for P. rutulus.

Yes they are usually green until near the last, but just before they pupate they usually turn orangey or pinkish brown.

Moved from Western Tiger Swallowtail.

… David J. Ferguson, 8 September, 2009 - 8:01pm

Two-tailed Tiger larva

Thanks David. I have only ID'd the Two tailed Swallowtail adults here since I've been photographing the critters. I keep looking...some times I see smaller & or darker versions but can;t get them to stop for pictures.

… Robert L. Pearson, 8 September, 2009 - 11:18pm

Why isn't he green??

Wow, lucky me, my 4 year old daughter found one of these on the front porch of our home in Casper, WY. I have done some research on them and am a little confused. Here you have it listed as a Western Tiger Swallowtail, but all the other information and pictures I see of the Western Tiger Swallowtail they are all green. Why is this one, and the one I found, brownish orange?? No matter, I will feed him aspen or poplar leaves and we will watch the transformation. What a great learning experience for my daughter and at the perfect curious age!!

… Rebecca Conway, 7 August, 2009 - 3:46pm