Tag Archives: Giant swallowtail butterfly

The giant

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The giant swallowtail butterfly returned to my Southwest Florida garden a few weeks ago and left behind eggs! This is the first time I have had her visit the garden since Hurricane Ian in 2022. The wild lime is doing well – I have plenty of food for the caterpillars.

I was able to find four caterpillars on the tree, which have been put into my butterfly house, so we can watch them grow.

The caterpillar resembles that of bird poop, which helps when they are smaller as they sit on the top of surfaces in plain view.

According to the University of Florida, the giant swallowtail larvae have an osmeterium, “an orange, or reddish Y-shaped eversible gland,” that is used to wipe against small predators, such as ants and spiders. When the caterpillar is in its fourth and fifth instars it contains a highly noxious, pungent mixture of chemicals, which smells like rancid butter.

The Giant

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There is just something about the giant swallowtail butterfly that captures your attention and keeps it as it gracefully flutters about, landing periodically on different plants. Today, I am completely stoked! I brought home a wild lime, its host plant, to add to my garden from The Butterfly Estates.

I have not spotted the giant swallowtails in the garden since before Hurricane Ian in September. I am hoping with its host plant, they will begin visiting my garden again, gracing us with their beauty.

374 butterflies

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When we first began our butterfly house, I decided to keep count of how many we raised and released, as well as the species. I am so glad I did. Last year, 2022, was an incredible year in our butterfly house with seven species raised, totaling 374 butterflies.

Unfortunately since Hurricane Ian swept through our area in late September, I have not seen all of these species return. Their host plants have remained and are thriving, so hopefully as the seasons change, they will return and allow us to watch their process from egg to butterfly happen once again.

With that said, we also have frequent visitors from other species that I have not raised within the butterfly house, which include the zebra longwing butterfly and the white peacock butterfly. There is also a host of skippers that frequent the gardens for its nectar, but I have never found any eggs, or caterpillars.

I hope our garden, and butterfly house, thrives in 2023 as well.

I have listed the butterflies, as well as the number that we have released, with their photos below. To say I have compiled quite a library of butterfly photos is an understatement.

Julia butterflies (8);

eastern black swallowtail (2);

giant swallowtail (2);

cloudless sulphur (3);

polydamas swallowtail (14);

gulf fritillary (71)

and monarch butterflies (274).

Graceful

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The graceful giant swallowtail. Yesterday, The Butterfly Estates, a 3,600 square foot glass butterfly conservatory in Downtown Fort Myers, had so many flying around. This sanctuary has become a favorite place for my daughter and I.

The giant swallowtail has been a frequent visitor of our garden, leaving behind eggs during her visits. Unfortunately since Hurricane Ian hit our area at the end of September, I have not seen their return yet.

Its wingspan leaves me in awe, as it is more than four and half inches, sometimes up to seven.

The gorgeous giant

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This beauty emerged in our butterfly house on Oct. 1, just a few days after Hurricane Ian swept through our area. It was such a beautiful sight to see amongst so much destruction. Thankfully its host tree is still standing in the backyard, where it flew to after taking its first flight. I am always in awe of this gorgeous giant. I hope it returns to the garden soon to leave more eggs behind.

Here are some of my favorites of the release that I am now just able to upload. This is the third giant swallowtail we have raised from caterpillar.