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Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar The Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar (Papilio cresphontes) resembles bird droppings to deter predators and if that doesn't work they use their red osmeterium. These are 'horns' which they can display & then retract. The colouration is dingy brown & or olive with white patches & small patches of purple. On Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) Shirleys Bay, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Canada,Geotagged,Giant Swallowtail,Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar,Ontario,Ottawa,Papilio cresphontes,Shirleys Bay,Summer Click/tap to enlarge Promoted

Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar

The Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar (Papilio cresphontes) resembles bird droppings to deter predators and if that doesn't work they use their red osmeterium. These are 'horns' which they can display & then retract. The colouration is dingy brown & or olive with white patches & small patches of purple. On Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) Shirleys Bay, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

    comments (1)

  1. View Patomarazul's profile
    Patomarazul
    Lion
    View Lion class
    Such a good mimicry! No bird would want to pick what looks like one of their own droppings :-D Posted 6 years ago

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The Giant swallowtail

The giant swallowtail 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 considered to belong to a different species, "Papilio rumiko".

Info 29 0
Similar species: Moths And Butterflies
Species identified by Greg Shchepanek
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By Greg Shchepanek

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Uploaded Nov 27, 2018. Captured Sep 3, 2014 16:36 in 44 Riverdown Dr, Nepean, ON K2K 2Z2, Canada.
country flag of Canada Explore Canada 1,925 859 0
  • DSC-RX100M2
  • f/2.8
  • 1/50s
  • ISO160
  • 10.4mm
Captured in the summer. More summer photos.

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