Orange dog

The giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) is the largest butterfly in North America. It is abundant through many parts of North America and ranges south as far as Colombia and Venezuela. Though it is often valued in gardens for its striking appearance, its larval stage can be a serious pest to citrus farms, which has earned its caterpillars the names orange dog or orange puppy. The giant swallowtail caterpillars possess remarkable camouflage from predators by closely resembling bird droppings. They use this, along with their osmeteria, to defend against predators such as wasps, flies, and vertebrates. The giant swallowtail is common across the United States, reaching as far north as southern New England and southern Canada. South of the United States, it is found through Mexico and as far south as South America, and is also found in Jamaica and Cuba. The species' distribution in the western United States is more concentrated in the south, reaching through the plains and Rocky Mountains, and into southern California. In the United States, P. cresphontes mostly inhabit deciduous forest and citrus orchards. They are only capable of overwintering in Florida and the deep South.