What Caterpillar is this?

[Cjcorner]

So cool! He's been eating some leaves in a pot while I waited to see what his fate was. Looks like he gets to go live in the flowers and eat canna leaves to his delight! Thanks E1!!

[pavel]

It's not uncommon when disturbed for such 'snake-headed' caters to twitch their heads so that a would be predator sees the "snake" rearing up and leaves them alone

[Cjcorner]

Ahh, so that's why it was doing that. lol Oooo So Scary! Not! He's crawled into the cannas and is happily eating away.

[mohi]

PLEASE don't provoke it as these papilionid caterpillars raise the worst stink if provoked!... They react by sending out a red organ called the Osmeterium that produces an aweful smell to repel predators... Can't forget the one that escaped from my care and was found in my brother's clothes... What a fragrant night!...
You can raise it in a big box and put fresh leaves for it... Its very fun!...
BTW... Mine was Papilio demoleus... or the lime swallowtail...

[espranch]

I love butterflies, but NOT the worm or caterpiller that they come from. I DEPORT them to bushes way, far away from my plants that I DON'T want eaten! Betty :-)

[Molly Taco]

I don't know how I missed this thread. The Giant Swallowtail's host plant is citrus that is why you found it on the Lemon tree.

[ischel1]

Yup it's a keeper. Congrats. It a beaut.