SPICEBUSH SWALLOWTAIL
This large, dark swallowtail is best known for the iridescent blue and green flashes on its hindwings. Caterpillars feed on spicebush and sassafras, curling leaves into shelters where they hide by day. Early instar caterpillars mimic bird droppings, while later ones resemble snakes with eye-like spots, an impressive defense against predators. Spicebush swallowtails are frequent visitors to flowering plants, where they serve as effective pollinators across the region.