Diet

• Caterpillars feed primarily on plants in the citrus family.

• Young caterpillars closely resemble bird droppings, providing effective camouflage. Later stages become greener and develop more conspicuous markings.

• Adults visit flowers for nectar and are frequent visitors to large, nectar-rich blooms.

Range

• Heraclides thoas has a very broad distribution from the southern United States through Mexico and Central America and throughout much of South America, reaching Argentina and Uruguay.

• It occurs in the Zihua area, where it is associated with warm tropical woodland, forest edges and open vegetation.

Habitat

• The Thoas Swallowtail occurs in tropical and subtropical forest, especially deciduous and semi-deciduous woodland, forest edges, clearings and secondary vegetation.

• It also adapts readily to human-modified environments, including gardens, orchards, agricultural areas and roadsides where suitable Rutaceae grow.

• In western Mexico, it is particularly characteristic of warm lowland and foothill environments.

Description

• This is a large swallowtail, generally with a wingspan of approximately 100–130 mm.

• The wings are predominantly dark brown to black with a broad yellow band extending diagonally across the forewings and continuing onto the hindwings. Additional yellow spots occur along the hindwing margin.

• The hindwings have long, narrow tails, giving the species the characteristic swallowtail silhouette.

• The underside is generally paler, with yellow and reddish markings along the hindwing margins and a series of darker veins and bands.