SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY

any member of the insect subfamily Papilioninae of the cosmopolitan family Papilionidae (order Lepidoptera). The swallowtail butterflies (Papilio), found worldwide except in the Arctic, are named for the characteristic taillike extensions of the hindwings, although many species are tailless. Colour patterns vary; many species have yellow, orange, red, green, or blue markings on an iridescent black, blue, or green background. Sexual and seasonal differences in coloration also occur. Many swallowtails mimic the coloration and patterns of butterflies that are protected by a bad taste. The brightly coloured larvae feed on foliage. Black and yellow eyelike spots on the thorax of some larvae resemble the head of a snake. Many have scent glands and discharge a bad-smelling substance when disturbed.