Species · GBIF taxon 1937816
Black Swallowtail Caterpillar
Papilio polyxenesAlso known as Parsleyworm, Eastern Black Swallowtail Caterpillar, Parsnip Swallowtail Caterpillar, American Swallowtail Caterpillar
These striking caterpillars sport bright green bodies banded with black and dotted with yellow or orange spots, warning predators of their foul taste. When threatened, they deploy a bright orange, Y-shaped gland called an osmeterium from behind their head, releasing a pungent, chemical odor. They are voracious feeders on plants in the carrot family, found munching on backyard dill, parsley, and fennel.
HerbivorousColorfulMetamorphosing
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Parsley
- Dill
- Fennel
Predators
- Paper wasps
- Birds
- Spiders
ThreatsPesticide use, habitat loss, and predatory wasps
HabitatsGardens, meadows, fields, and agricultural areas
Life span3 to 4 weeks as a caterpillar before pupating
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilyPapilionidae
- GenusPapilio
- SpeciesPapilio polyxenes
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Gently provoke to see the osmeterium: Lightly touch the caterpillar's head to watch it deploy its bright orange, foul-smelling defensive horns.
- Provide host plants: Grow dill, parsley, or fennel in sunny garden spots to attract egg-laying adult females.
- Handle with care: Transfer caterpillars gently using a leaf or stem rather than picking them up directly.
Frequent Companion Sid Mosdell from New Zealand / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Hydrocycler (Elizabeth Dougherty), some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Hydrocycler (Elizabeth Dougherty) · cc-by
Close Relative D. Gordon E. Robertson / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative "Eastern Tiger Swallowtail" by ShenandoahNPS is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/. · cc0
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