Hobbies And Interests
Caterpillars
When swallowtails are caterpillars, they eat a variety of different foods. The first thing that the caterpillar eats is its own eggshell. Aside from that, the most common food plant the the larvae eat is called milk-parsley, a plant that contains a white sap. Caterpillars (larvae) also eat some other plants, including sassafras, camphor tree and redbay.
Primary Eating Habits
Adult swallowtails feed on nectar, like most butterflies. This is because they can only sip food. To do this, they use a proboscis that acts as a straw in their mouths. They set themselves on top of a flower and drink until they are full. Most butterflies, including swallowtails, will drink other things dissolved in water. They are also attracted to sodium, which can be found in human sweat. This is why they sometimes land on people.
Swallowtail Diet
Adult swallowtails eat the nectar from a variety of different plants. They drink from the pink flowers of a shrub called "abelia." They also enjoy the nectar of honeysuckle, azalea, butterfly bush, zinnia and milkweed. Adult swallowtails have also been known to feed on bluebell, devil's bit scabious, ragged robin, red clover, teasel and thistles. Like all butterflies, they are also attracted to tree sap, pollen and rotting fruit.
Swallowtail Facts
Swallowtail butterflies have a wingspan of 3 1/2 to 5 inches. The butterfly protects itself from predators by creating a small shelter within a leaf, which it rolls up in. It has unusually large eyes, which also protect it from predators by tricking them into thinking the swallowtail is larger than it actually is. Swallowtails are strong fliers, and typically keep beating their wings even when eating.