Insects by Picture
Butterflies and Moths by Picture
Lepidoptera Taxonomy
Papilio troilus - Wikipedia
Papilio troilus - University of Florida
Houston is at the very southwest corner of this butterfly's range, but I see them often, especially in the early spring. Their larvae are famous for their false eyes, which make them appear to be staring at you (see the great U of Florida page, above). Unfortunately, I have not encountered any in the flesh. Perhaps the fact that none of the larvae's host plants live in my yard has something to do with that. Spicebush swallowtails can have three generations per year.
I came across a male and a female spicebush swallowtails performing a courtship ritual on the azalea flowers along my front walkway on February 25, 2017.
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Here is a video of the mating ritual.
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