Schaus’ Swallowtail (Papilio aristodemus)

Schaus’ swallowtail is among the rarest butterflies in the United States and South Florida. The critically endangered species started going extinct in 1924 because of habitat loss, insecticide use, over-collection, and housing development. A few hundred existed in 1972 until a local mosquito control district sprayed insecticides, Dibrom and Baytex.