Mondays with Martha #116 - Spicebush Swallowtail

This week I share another adventure in butterfly rearing--meet the charismatic and color-changing Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio/Pterourus troilus)! From bird poop, to scary predator, to flying beauties in black, learn how this species survives in our forested landscapes and what larval host and nectar plant species you can add to your landscape to support it. Special thanks to my friend, Rita Seston, for her assistance with graphics, footage, and sharing her special finds with my store customers!

For excellent images of this species and its defense mechanisms, see this helpful link: https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/bfly/spicebush_swallowtail.htm