Rare Butterfly Rediscovered in Maine

spicebush swallowtail

The Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly species was identified in September by Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department biologists. 1934 was the last Maine sighting of the butterfly.  The recent finding was in the hardwood swamps of Berwick and Wells.

spicebush caterpillar

 

The caterpillar eats the leaves of sassafras and spicebush plants.

“This is now officially one of the largest, most colorful butterflies in the state, and somehow it slipped under our radar screen for the past 75 years,’’ said Phillip deMaynadier, the biologist who rediscovered the species.

The butterfly lives in the Eastern US and parts of Ontario.

Image Credit: Spicebush Swallowtail Wikipedia, and Poppy2323

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