Swallowtail butterfly

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/swallowtail-butterfly

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Family: Papilionidae
2. What makes swallowtail butterflies special?They have tails on their hindwings that help hide them from predators, and their wings can be very big and bright, sometimes over 15 cm wide.
3. Why do swallowtail butterflies have tails?The tails may trick predators into thinking the butterfly is something else or help it escape when a predator attacks.

Batesian Mimicry: A form of mimicry where a harmless species evolves to imitate the warning signals of a harmful species.
Obligate Herbivore: An animal that can only survive by eating plants; its diet is restricted to plant matter.
Pollinator: An animal that transfers pollen from one flower to another, aiding in plant reproduction.