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Papilio thoas
The King Swallowtail or Thoas Swallowtail (Papilio thoas) is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in the southernmost United States, Mexico, Central America and South America (as far south as Argentina and Uruguay). The species is easily confused with the Giant Swallowtail, which it closely resembles in both larval and adult stages. Thoas caterpillars, however, feed on plants of the black pepper family, Piperaceae, while giant swallowtail larvae eat the leaves of citrus plants Rutaceae. Adult Thoas swallowtails fly year round in the tropics, feeding on nectar of a variety of flowers, including Lantana, Stachytarpheta, and Bougainvillea among other species. The wingspan is 100–130 mm. -Wikipedia
Butterfly world
Spotted on Oct 3, 2009
Submitted on Dec 8, 2013
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