taka.papilio on TikTok

24K views · 394 reactions | This cute little giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) caterpillar hatched on my desk today! It's spiny and adorable and smaller than a grain of rice right now, but in a couple weeks it'll look like a big glob of bird poop. Much cuter as a baby. | Be Smart | Facebook

Caterpillars of the giant swallowtail butterfly (Papilio cresphontes) have a few tricks up their sleeve to avoid becoming a meal. First, looking like bird droppings is a pretty good way to stay off the menu. If a predator can get past this caterpillar’s unappealing appearance, a shocking “plan B” comes into play. When threatened, the caterpillar projects a smelly appendage – which looks just like a snake’s tongue – out of its forehead! This caterpillar of North America’s largest butterfly was fo

1.4K views · 60 reactions | We recently spotted an eastern giant...

A unique characteristic of swallowtail butterflies is that they continuously flutter their wings while feeding such as this Eastern Black Swallowtail nectaring on purple lantana. | Butterfly Lady