Pipevine Swallowtail Battus philenor

This stunning swallowtail has weaponized chemistry: it's genuinely poisonous to predators. The secret starts when caterpillars feed on pipevine plants and sequester toxic compounds into their own bodies for defense. The result is a striking black butterfly with iridescent blue hindwings found throughout North and Central America. These beauties have earned conservation attention in Michigan, where they're considered a Species of Special Concern.