Giant swallowtail
The giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) is the largest butterfly in North America. It is abundant through many parts of eastern North America; populations from western North America and down into Panama are now (as of 2014) considered to belong to a different species, Papilio rumiko. Though it is often valued in gardens for its striking appearance, its larval stage can be a serious pest to citrus farms, which has earned its caterpillars the names orange dog or orange puppy. The giant swallowtail caterpillars possess remarkable camouflage from predators by closely resembling bird droppings. They use this, along with their osmeteria, to defend against predators such as wasps, flies, and vertebrates.
Te
TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Ov
OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
P
starts withOne of the giant swallowtail's most notable features is its size. Females have an average wingspan of 5.5 in (14 cm), and up to 6.9 in (18 cm), while males' average is 5.8 in (15 cm), and up to 7.4 in (19 cm).
The wings are black with a horizontal yellow line across the forewings, and a diagonal yellow line across the hindwing. The underside of the wings is yellow with accents of black. A small patch of red on the ventral wing (within the small blue band) allows for distinction from the similar-looking Schaus' swallowtail. Seitz -"P. cresphontes Cr. (7a). Usually considered a slightly different variety of P. thoas. No cell-spot on the forewing; the fifth discal spot projecting further than the sixth. Claspers of the male separate above, the anal hook quite short, the lower part of the anal segment likewise quite different from that of P. thoas ; harpe broad, rounded. A common species in eastern North America, occurring as far as Costa Rica in the south and southern Canada in the north; but the insect is a wanderer, which is found only now and then in the northern districts. In the United States it does not extend westward beyond the Mississippi plain, except in the Southern States. Its true home is the region adjoining the Gulf of Mexico. It occurs also on Cuba.
The caterpillars' intricate coloring patterns are an effective camouflage and defense against both vertebrate and invertebrate predators and parasites. It is thought that the coloration was naturally selected for because of its imitation of bird and lizard droppings. The caterpillar mimics certain droppings based on its habitat and which instar it is. The caterpillars' coloration, particularly the saddle pattern, is also thought to be disruptive coloration. This means the coloration makes it harder for a predator to distinguish the shape of the camouflaged prey, which explains the continuation of this coloration pattern in larger instars that are too large to be mistaken for bird droppings. It has also been hypothesized that the older instars' pattern is meant to be reminiscent of a snake.
The giant swallowtail is common across the United States, reaching as far north as southern New England and southern Canada. South of the United States, it is found in parts of Mexico and also found in Jamaica and Cuba. The species was historically considered to occur in the western United States and into South America, but now those populations are treated as a separate species, Papilio rumiko, based largely on DNA evidence.
In the United States, P. cresphontes mostly inhabit deciduous forest and citrus orchards. They are only capable of overwintering in Florida and the deep South.
Larvae have many adaptations to protect themselves from predators.
Because of the butterfly's notably large wingspan (14 to 18 cm), giant swallowtails are very strong fliers and are able to glide long distances with very few wing beats.
Males search for females along set flight paths and near host plants, and mate with females in the afternoon. Male and female then copulate facing away from each other.
Sometimes referred to as "orange dogs", "orange pups", or "bird poop caterpillars" by farmers, the larva targets all varieties of citrus plants, often causing significant damage to new foliage and younger trees, which they can more thoroughly defoliate. Large mature citrus trees are not generally significantly impacted. Outside of farms, the species is valued for its aesthetic appeal and can also be raised to butterflies successfully at home.
