THE SWALLOWTAILS 63 



The Giant Swallowtail is a tropical species which is 

 abundant throughout the Southern states and during re- 

 cent years seems to have been gradually extending its 

 northern range. It is now commonly found as far north 

 as forty-two degrees latitude, from Nebraska eastward. 

 In New England it is occasionally taken in Connecticut, 

 l^Iassachusetts, and even in Maine, but its appearance in 

 this region is exceptional. 



In the orange-growing regions of the Southern states the 

 caterpillars of this butterfly feed freely upon the leaves of 

 citrus fruits and they are often called "orange puppies" or 

 "orange dogs." Probably their curious appearance and 

 their habit of resting for long periods upon leaf or twig 

 gave rise to this name. In the region indicated the life- 

 Iiistory of the insect may be summarized thus: 



The mother butterfly deposits the eggs singly upon the 

 young growi:h of orange or other citrus fruit trees, generally 

 near the tips of leaves or branches. About a week later 

 each egg hatches into a caterpillar that feeds upon the 

 young leaves, resting upon the lower surface when not eat- 

 ing. After a few days of this feeding the caterpillar be- 

 comes too large for the skin with which it was born and it 

 moults, coming forth with a new skin which soon hardens 

 so that it can begin feeding again. A week or so later it 

 moults for the second time, and continues these processes of 

 feeding and moulting until full grown, which is perhaps a 

 month from the time of hatching from the egg. At first 

 the caterpillars eat only the succulent young leaves and 

 branches, but as they grow larger they feed more freely 

 upon the older foliage. They are very voracious and when 

 abundant may often do much damage especially to young 

 trees. When ready to change to the chrysalis each cater- 



