Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly ( Eclosion )

Description:

Eclosion: The emergence of an adult insect, from a pupa. I went over to a friends house, to see her new butterfly pupae, that she got from her butterfly garden. She keeps her butterfly pupae, in a large terrarium. After a butterfly is able to fly, she sets it free. My friend puts paper towels, on the sides of the terrarium, so the newly emerged butterflies, can climb up on one side ( a vertical surface ), to rest, and to let its wings, expand to the fully opened position. We were both looking at the different butterfly pupae, when all of a sudden, one pupa started to split open. Seconds later, a new butterfly, emerged from its pupal case. The four wings of this butterfly, was all crumpled up and wet. Then this butterfly, walked across the floor of the terrarium, and then it climbed half way up, on one side of the terrarium, to rest, and to let its wings, expand to the fully opened position. ( The adult butterfly, expands its wings, by pumping hemolymph, into its wing veins ). Some time later, this whole process was completed. "A butterfly breaking out of its pupal case, plus: All four wings being totally expanded and dry, and then being able to move and fly". This new butterfly, was a Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly. My friend and I, both observed every second, of this very beautiful event. This butterfly, had two antennae, and two, compound eyes. This butterfly, had a proboscis, and six, jointed legs. This butterfly, had four wings. This butterfly, had a head, thorax, and an abdomen. Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Papilionidae Genus: Papilio Species: P. troilus Wingspan: 3 to 4 inches. I took a lot of photos, so here are six photos, of this very beautiful event. This butterfly is alive, and able to move and fly.

Habitat:

The Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly, is found only in the eastern US, and southern Ontario. This black swallowtail, is normally found in deciduous woods, or woody swamps. Males are typically found in swamp areas. This species of butterfly, can be found in gardens, and at the edges of forests, deciduous woodlands, fields, roadsides, yards, pine barrens, wooded swamps and parks.

Notes:

I went over to a friends house, to see her new butterfly pupae, that she got from her butterfly garden. We were both looking at the different butterfly pupae, when all of a sudden, one pupa started to split open. This newly emerged butterfly, was a Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly. It had two antennae, and two, compound eyes. It had a proboscis, and six, jointed legs. It had four wings. It had a head, thorax, and an abdomen. This butterfly was alive, and able to move and fly.