Florida Nature Pictures
Butterflies

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly Life Cycle
Papilio cresphonte
(Orange Dog)

This is the egg of a Giant Swallowtail Butterfly found on a Meyer Lemon Tree.

This first instar caterpillar is only about 5mm long.

When I first say this little guy I though it was a bird dropping
on a leaf on my Meyer Lemon Tree!
He was about 2.5 cm long.
Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar hosts plants are citrus.
The shape and coloring are excellent camouflage.

The projections are a defense mechanism against predators.

Here he is about a week after I first found him.
He is now about 3.5 cm long.
This is probably a forth or fifth instar.

Here he is getting ready to go into the Pupal Stage.
He attaches himself with a weblike silk thread to the twig.
This species also supports itself head upwards
with a silken girdle.
9/19/2009

Here he is after 24 hours.
He is actually moving inside!
The wiggling motion is a defense mechanism to scare
away predators trying to eat him.
9/20/2009

Finally on 10/6/09, the butterfly emerged.
Unfortunately, it crawled into a corner
that was too small and the wings dried all crumbled.
This poor little guy will never be able to fly.

Here is a Giant Swallowtail I photographed on my Papaya Plant
in the backyard.

Here are some views of the undersides of the wings.

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