Black Swallowtail

About the Black Swallowtail

A black swallowtail with rows of yellow spots and a band of blue on the hindwing. Its caterpillars, sometimes called parsleyworms, feed on plants of the carrot family such as parsley, dill, fennel, and wild carrot, making it a frequent garden visitor. When disturbed they push out a bright orange forked gland that gives off a foul smell. It is the state butterfly of Oklahoma.