Species · GBIF taxon 1938104
Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar
Papilio troilusAlso known as Green-clouded Butterfly Larva
Spicebush swallowtail caterpillars are master mimics, transforming from bird-dropping look-alikes in their early stages to brilliant green, snake-mimicking larvae complete with realistic false eyespots. They spend their days hidden inside neatly rolled leaves of spicebush or sassafras, emerging under the cover of darkness to feed. When threatened, they can deploy a bright orange, Y-shaped organ called an osmeterium that emits a foul, chemical odor to deter predators.
MimicryHerbivoreTerrestrial
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Spicebush leaves
- Sassafras leaves
- Sweetbay magnolia leaves
Predators
- Birds
- Spiders
- Parasitoid wasps
ThreatsHabitat loss, pesticide use, and decline of host plants
HabitatsDeciduous forests, wooded swamps, fields, and suburban gardens
Life span3 to 4 weeks as a caterpillar
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyPapilionidae
- SpeciesPapilio troilus
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
- Look for rolled leaves: Search spicebush or sassafras bushes for leaves folded over and secured with silk.
- Observe the eyespots: Look closely at the realistic black and yellow false eyes, which are actually markings on the thorax.
- Avoid disturbing their shelters: Gently peek inside folded leaves without tearing the silk or forcing the caterpillar out.
Host Plant (c) Sandy Wolkenberg, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Sandy Wolkenberg · cc-by
Host Plant 
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
Close Relative "black swallowtail caterpillar" by animantis is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
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