Its coloring is green with a layer of white lines running down the sides, but there can also be instances where the skin is brownish-green with red spots running down the sides alongside the lines.
The black swallowtail caterpillar is a species that changes color as it matures. Young caterpillars are black with white saddles, but mature into a bright green color layered with black stripes down the sides.
Often found in gardens munching on all sorts of vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, kale, and bok choy, this caterpillar’s body is smooth, slender, and light green in color.
The key identifier with this caterpillar is a large, protruding bump at the rear, and in a mature caterpillar, there’s also a colored tip that looks like a horn at the end.
What makes it truly captivating are the telltale “head capsules” that resemble four horns—a menacing-looking feature meant to fend off predators.