Spicebush Swallowtail Papilio troilus
(c) Elizabeth Axley, some rights reserved (CC BY)
OrderButterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera)
FamilySwallowtails and Parnassians (Papilionidae)
GenusCommon Swallowtails (Papilio)
This North American swallowtail has a fragrant claim to fame: it's named after its favorite host plant, the spicebush. Caterpillars feed exclusively on spicebush leaves, and the butterfly's two subspecies reflect this specialization—with the Florida population specially adapted to the peninsula's warm climate.
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