Uploaded July 2010 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The caterpillars of the black swallowtail butterfly have several interesting defenses against predators - when first hatched they are black and white, and resemble small bird droppings. As they get older their colors become camouflaged to blend in with their host plant (parsley, dill, Queen Anne's lace, and other members of the carrot family), and, as this caterpillar is doing here, they can extrude two orange horns that emit a strong odor in a ploy to startle predators.
The caterpillars of the black swallowtail butterfly have several interesting defenses against predators - when first hatched they are black and white, and resemble small bird droppings. As they get older their colors become camouflaged to blend in with their host plant (parsley, dill, Queen Anne's lace, and other members of the carrot family), and, as this caterpillar is doing here, they can extrude two orange horns that emit a strong odor in a ploy to startle predators.
