Swallowtail Butterfly

Anonymous Author

Collection: A Literary Field Guide to the Swamp, Book 5

August 2, 2026

Prompt:

Papilio cresphontes

Biological Overview

Habitat
Found in fields, wetlands, and suburban gardens

Diet
Primarily eat nectar and juices from fruits

Role in Ecosystem
Pollinator

Behavior
They fly fast and they do something called pudding. This is when they huddle together on the ground to absorb nutrients. They also have specific times that they fly/migrate. They regularly come out to fly during warmer seasons.

Human Impact

Human impacts on this organism are negative. Humans have been causing population declines in this species via habitat destruction and loss of available food. Human development of land and agricultural expansion often results in soil destruction and habitat loss.

Creative Exploration

Swallowtail butterfly,
Wants to fly,
All the time,
Time to dine,
Nectar comes,
Spring begins,
Life comes back,
The feast begins,
Fly around,
All the town,
Have some fun,
Nectars done,
Time to swallow,
What we’ve got,
The swallow comes,
Oh my gawsh.

Carmine Marciano, Ari Brown, Daniel Slevin

Book 5

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Tags

Pee Dee/ Grand Strand

Anonymous Author

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