spicebush swallowtail larvae

Description:

the spicebush swallowtail are the color of orange when they are born and the color gradually changes to a brown and then finally a yellow-green. As the larvae grow up they grow in size depending on how much they eat. Robber flies and dragonflies are two creatures that share the environment but are also the predators to the caterpillar. these caterpillars have a commensalism symbiotic relationship with the plants they live on because they have a home on the plants and eat the leaves of the plant, but the plant is not affected. this caterpilar has black dots with white highlights on it's swollen thorax to create the illusion of a common green snake, and it also resembles a pipevine swallowtail which are foul tasting caterpillars, so birds stay away. these caterpillars use sexual reproduction.

Habitat:

the host plants to most caterpillars of this species are either spicebush or sassafras. they eat leaves off these plants, and they drink nectar as adults. it's predators include birds, spiders, robber flies and dragonflies. spicebush swallowtails tend to stay in groups when away from home.