365Caws is now in its 16th year of publication. If I am unable to post daily, I hope readers who love the natural world and fiberarts will seize those days to read the older material. Remember that this has been my journey as well, so you may find errors in my identifications of plants. I have tried to correct them as I discover them. Likewise, I have refined fiberarts techniques and have adjusted recipes, so search by tags to find the most current information. And thank you for following me!
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Papilio Niveus, Snow Swallowtail
Day 170: The larval stage of the uncommon-to-rare Papilio niveus is almost identical to that of P. zelicaon, but there can be no mistaking it due to its predilection for emerging in early spring at higher elevations, often while snow is still on the ground. This caterpillar feeds exclusively on bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi). In the third instar of the caterpillar's development, small red or red-brown warts containing a bitter and toxic alkaloid appear on the third and fourth segments, deterring attacks from Steller's Jays, the species' primary predator. These warts are also present during the pupal phase, but disappear in the mature butterfly. The adult is distinguished from other Swallowtails by purplish, fringed margins on the hind-wings. Additionally, if you've believed a word of this, you should be aware that you have been browsing an April Fools' Day field guide. This caterpillar is a plastic replica of a larval Anise Swallowtail.
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