Do you remember the orange dog caterpillar and then the chrysalis from a few weeks ago?
The butterfly that emerged is called the giant swallowtail.
I was so excited when it came out of the chrysalis because I have never gotten a photograph of these speedy and elusive butterflies. They are always fluttering by at the tops of our citrus trees.
Because it had just emerged, it was sitting very still. It was waiting for its wings to finish drying. I was able to take a number of photographs. Here’s a close up of the eye spots on the hind wings.
Look, you can even see the scales that cover the wings.
Underneath it has a yellow body.
Isn’t it amazing that an egg and a few grapefruit leaves can transform into something so beautiful?
Have you ever seen a giant swallowtail butterfly up close?
