Swallowtail Caterpillar

Swallowtail Caterpillar 2 (Family Papilionoidae)

The lepidopterous larvae have well developed heads, three pairs of frontal legs called thoracic legs and usually five pairs of rear legs called prolegs. If you have ever allowed a caterpillar to crawl upon your arm you may have felt a prickly feeling. This feeling is caused by small hooks called crockets which are on the prolegs. This caterpillar will develop into an anise swallowtail butterfly, one of the largest and most colourful of all butterflies. [BM] {PF}