VV4972 Broad-tailed crested butterfly larvae

On May 27, 2023, in Hunan, China, the video showed the man coming across an unusually coloured insect while walking outdoors. At first glance, the insect’s plump black-and-white body appeared so artificial that the man thought it was a discarded toy. But to his surprise, the object suddenly moved, revealing itself to be very much alive. Online commenters quickly identified the insect as the larva of the broad-tailed swallowtail butterfly, known scientifically as Agehana maraho. This species was extremely rare and not often seen in the wild, especially in its caterpillar stage. The video ended with the caterpillar slowly crawling away as the man continued to observe it in awe.