The caterpillar feeds upon the foliage of Aristolochia sipho, or the “Dutchman’s Pipe,” a plant extensively grown about verandas and porches, and native to the Allegheny Mountains. It also eats the leaves of Aristolochia serpentaria, a smaller plant of the same genus. The wings have an expanse of 3.75-4.25 inches.
The range is from Massachusetts to California and south into Mexico.
PL. CXXVIII
(15) Papilio polydamas Linnæus, [Plate CXXVIII], ♂ (The Reef Butterfly). (See Plate on [p. 198.])
This is the sole representant in our fauna of a great group of splendid butterflies peculiar to the tropics of the New World, which are true papilionids, but without tails, their wings generally of some shade of green, and wonderfully adorned with spots of other colors, generally yellow or crimson. It may easily be recognized from our figure. Expanse 3.00-3.50 inches.
It is found in the extreme southern part of Florida and on the adjoining reefs. It also has a wide range through the Antilles, Mexico, and Central America.
Family HESPERIIDÆ
(The Skippers).
Generally quite small butterflies, with stout thorax. Both sexes have six feet adapted to walking. Tibiæ of hind legs, with few exceptions, have spurs. Lower radial of hind wing in many genera wanting, being represented by a fold in the wing. Eggs hemispherical, flat on base. Larvæ cylindrical tapering from the middle before and behind, with large globular heads, smooth. Chrysalids generally formed on the ground or among leaves and rubbish lightly tacked together with a few strands of silk, in which the cremaster is caught.
A large family, most numerously represented in the tropics of both the Old and New Worlds. About three thousand species are known, of which over one hundred occur within our limits.