Tag: giant swallowtail

• Question of the Week – Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar

  

  Which of these two photos shows a caterpillar? Who knew that looking like poop could save your life? The orangedog (or giant swallowtail) caterpillar is a master at disguise, as witnessed in this photo. The photo on the right shows the caterpillar larvae, while the photo on the left shows bird feces.  Not only does…

  Justin Ballew

  June 18, 2026

  Question of the Week

  bird poop, caterpillar, citrus, giant swallowtail, mimicry, Question of the Week

• Question of the Week – Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar

  

  This week, the question was: What is on this citrus leaf? This looks a lot like bird poop, however, it’s just a camouflage tactic of the giant swallowtail caterpillar. This species is often called the “orangedog” as they feed on members of the citrus family throughout their larval stage. They can be a pest to…

  Justin Ballew

  August 11, 2022

  Question of the Week

  butterfly, caterpillar, citrus, giant swallowtail, orangedog, Question of the Week