spicebush swallowtail

American  

[spahys-boosh swol-oh-teyl] / ˈspaɪsˌbʊʃ ˈswɒl oʊˌteɪl /

noun

1. a swallowtail butterfly, Papilio troilus, having a dark body with yellow spots on the forewings and greenish hindwings: flies low to the ground, distinctly unlike other swallowtails.

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Etymology

Origin of spicebush swallowtail

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spicebush swallowtail

This spicebush swallowtail caterpillar is in disguise as something much scarier: Birds pass it up as a snack because to them, these fake-eyed mimics look like snakes or treefrogs.

From National Geographic ● Sep. 2, 2015