Papilio troilus Linnaeus

Papilionidae

Host Plant: Lindera species (Spicebush)

General description: Larvae are shelter builders from an early instar making a shelter by folding young leaves in half along the midrib. They are bird dropping mimics when very young with small eyespots. These eyespots grow and by the 3rd or 4th instar the caterpillars have a green body with large eyespots making them into snake mimicks. They have osmeteria which they will extrude with little provocation. Older larvae are about 3cm (2 inches) long.

 

Other Images: Details of body, color morphs

Determined by: Gentry

 

 

Time as pupae and rearing results:

Host plants in database:Lindera benzoin (Common spice-bush)

Parasitoids and predators:

Observations and comments:

Location of Vouchers: Tulane University

References:
Brock and Kaufman, Howe, Vines,

 

Collected: in New Orleans