Related to the giant silkworm moth, the Imperial moth, Eacles imperialis, is one of the largest in North America, reaching up to 7 inches across. Not only is it one of the largest moth species, it is also one of the most variable. This unique variability helps to protect it from predators, as predators have a […]
The Bugs of Bernheim: Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly
Recently, I discovered bird droppings on a Pawpaw tree (Asimina triloba) in my backyard. Upon closer inspection it turns out, they were young caterpillars of one of my favorites, Zebra Swallowtail butterflies. I was only momentarily torn between our native Pawpaw tree, which is the only temperate representative of an otherwise tropical plant family, and […]