Black Swallowtail Papilio polyxenes

Here is a butterfly with a surprisingly famous namesake: it is named after Polyxena, the tragic youngest daughter of King Priam of Troy in Greek mythology. But the caterpillar has its own claim to fame — gardeners know it as the parsleyworm because it has a particular fondness for munching through parsley, dill, fennel, and other plants in the carrot family. Do not panic if you spot one; the chubby striped larva is completely harmless.

One of the most widespread swallowtails in North America, the adult also has a clever trick: females closely mimic the toxic pipevine swallowtail, gaining protection from predators through imitation rather than chemistry.