Spicebush Swallowtail on Thistle

I ran into some very friendly butterflies in the Scotia Barrens on this day. A couple of big ones. One was a tiger swallowtail. Then there was this one, which is a spicebush swallowtail, Papilio troilus Linnaeus. Look at those polka dot pajamas!

The butterfly was enjoying a pink thistle bloom and I was able to get very, very close to it. I almost thought I saw some pink specks of pollen on the butterfly from the flower. And giggled, thinking: the spice must flow!

And indeed it must. Rock on, spicebush swallowtail! Tell me what you want, what you really really want. Oh, more pink thistle blooms? Okay then! You shall have what you want!

Our soundtrack song is a boppy little tune: the Spice Girls, with Wannabe.