spicebush swallowtail

[ spahys-boosh swol-oh-teyl ]

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of spicebush swallowtail¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Johnson said the new regulations are a good way to educate people about the harm from invasive species but might not be enough to stem the loss of native species, such as the spicebush swallowtail butterfly or the state’s wildflowers.

From Washington Post

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

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

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

A spicebush swallowtail crosses the trail, fast and fleeting, a blur of white outlining its dark wing.

From New York Times