Swallowtail caterpillars often live in forests and wetlands and eat leaves. They are distributed mainly in the Southeast region of North America. This butterfly has a very unique way of camouflage. When they first hatch, they are only brown, but gradually their bodies become colorful. In particular, on their heads they have two large spots like two “false eyes” with black, yellow and dark blue streaks that make them look more scary to scare away enemies.
But in fact, they are extremely adorable and are secretly called “Pokemon” pets by today’s youth because they look very much like a Pokemon. However, after a while, they will turn into large black butterflies with prominent orange spots. This is what makes them look like extremely adorable “tiny snakes”.
Swallowtail butterflies, also known as sail butterflies, are easily found in European forests, fields and gardens, especially flooded fields in Slovakia. The colorful beauty of this butterfly is clearly shown in the bold yellow and black patches alternating like zebra stripes.
In addition, the hind wing is contrasted by a metallic blue with a red border. The richness of this species is an indicator of the richness of grassland organisms. However, they are currently classified as urgently threatened, a consequence of deforestation and leveling of grasslands for land.