Giant Swallowtail Butterfly

My Home: I am found throughout North America, and as far south as South America. In the southern states, I am seen most often around the citrus trees.

What I eat: As a caterpillar, I will only eat leaves from citrus trees
and prefer the new growth leaves. As an adult I drink the nectar
from flowers.

What I look like: My wings are 4 to 7 inches in width from
the top tips of my wings, and the females are larger
than the males. I have black wings with yellow
horizontal stripes. I have a long thin black body with
two antennae.

How I am born: I will go through four stages of development:
egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult (butterfly). After
eating most of the time and getting bigger, I form a chrysalis that
is attached to the citrus branch with small strong silken threads. I will emerge as a butterfly and can produce two to three generations a year.