European Swallowtail Caterpillar
The caterpillar is feeding one its host plant, an umbellifer, of which they are fond.
Like a lot of caterpillars, they have couple of survival tricks up their sleeve. To deter predators, the black and white pattern of less mature ones mimic bird droppings. As for more mature ones when threatened they display an orange 'horn' from behind their heads, resembling the forked tongue of a snake, which gives off a pungent pineapple-like odour. There is a wasp species however, which lays a single egg in the caterpillar, which during the pupa stage emerges as a fully grown adult.
Many thanks for your visits, comments and favs.
European Swallowtail Caterpillar
The caterpillar is feeding one its host plant, an umbellifer, of which they are fond.
Like a lot of caterpillars, they have couple of survival tricks up their sleeve. To deter predators, the black and white pattern of less mature ones mimic bird droppings. As for more mature ones when threatened they display an orange 'horn' from behind their heads, resembling the forked tongue of a snake, which gives off a pungent pineapple-like odour. There is a wasp species however, which lays a single egg in the caterpillar, which during the pupa stage emerges as a fully grown adult.
Many thanks for your visits, comments and favs.