My Black Swallowtail notebook

"We have modified our environment so radically that we must now modify ourselves to exist in it."
" -- N. Weinerk"

EASTERN BLACK SWALLOWTAIL (Papilio polyxenes) [Oklahoma State Butterfly]
Size: 21/8-31/2 inches
Range: All
Texas: Throughout
Flight Time: February-November
The Eastern Black Swallowtail is adapted to many situations within open country. This is a common butterfly of fields and meadows, cultivated farmland, parks, golf courses, and flower gardens. It seems to show no preference between dry uplands and moist marshes, as long as the area is open and not wooded.
A great lover of flowers, it likes to drift among the plants lazily, taking nectar and pausing frequently to bask with wings fully outspread. It is especially attracted to gardens which have both plentiful flowers and good stands of Common Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Dill (Anethum graveolens), or Parsley (Petroselinum crispum), its larval food plants. Favored nectar plants include blossoms of fruit trees such as Apple and Common Peach along with Lantana, Thoroughwort (Eupatorium havense), Butterfly Weed, Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella), New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae), Phlox, Purple Loosestrife, various Thistles, and Zinnias (Zinnia spp.). The female of the Eastern Black Swallowtail closely mimics the Pipevine Swallowtail, gaining an advantage from the Pipevine's toxicity. The upper wing surfaces of the female are mostly black, with two rows of creamy or pale yellowish dots bordering both wings and with a wide iridescent bluish band between the rows of dots. The upper band of yellow dots is often absent or very faint. The upper wing surface of the male is generally black with two rows of large, very prominent bright yellow spots. The rows of spots are separated on the lower wings by a narrow wash of metallic blue. The lower wing surfaces of both sees are similar to those of the Spicebush Swallowtail, being black with two rows of orangy-red spots separated by a band of widely spaced blue dots. Rows of small yellow dots line the black abdomen. A solitary large, black-centered red or orangish spot in the lower angle of each hindwing occurs on both upper and lower surfaces.
The insect is often seen in moist areas or around mud puddles, methodically sucking up the moisture with its accumulated salts. To seek mates, a male patrols a chosen area or occasionally claims a perching place from which to fly out to inspect whatever passes by. He changes his perching site frequently, usually not using the same space more than two or three days. The female flies to a hilltop (or to the highest terrain around) to mate, with a male usually in pursuit. Once at the mating ground, the male and female flutter near one another briefly, then land, where they copulate. If the female lives longer than a week, she often mates a second time.
Larva: The young larva may be various shades of brown, or perhaps black and white with a wide white saddle. The mature larva is up to 2 inches long, basically green with wide, crosswise bands of black, the bands interspersed with yellow dots or slashes. The larva does not eat its cast skin after molting, as is common with many species. Food Plants: Nuttall Mock Bishop's-weed (Ptilimnium nuttallii), Ribbed Mock Bishop's weed (P. costatum), Thread-leaf Mock Bishop's weed (Ptilimnium capillaceum), Prairie Parsley (Polytaenia nuttallii), Teas Dutchman's Breeches (Thamnosma texana) and cultivated Common Fennel, Dill, and Parsley seem to be the favored food plants. Others less commonly used include Anise-root (Osmorhiza longistylis), Common Rue, Rue, Forked Scale-seed (Sper molepis divaricata), Garden Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa), Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota), Rattlesnake-weed (Daucus pusillus), Stalky Berula (Berula erects), Spotted Cowbane (Cicuta maculata), Water-parsnip (Sium suava), Wild Celery (Apium graveolens), Wild Chervil (Cryptotaenia canadensis) and Yellow Pimpernel (Taenidia integerrima).
Parts Eaten: Almost all aboveground parts of plant except tough stem

photo by Mark Lasko

Scott Henninger, scotth@pooh.unl.edu saw the swallowtail below just after it had hatched. Within five or six minutes the butterfly's wings were fully shaped.

Just after hatching.

After two minutes (on bottom). The top butterfly hatched earlier in the day.

After three minutes.

After 5 minutes.

After 6 minutes.

Oklahoma is fortunate in providing a home to a wide array of colorful butterflies. The black swallowtail, Papilio polyxenes, is a migratory species indigenous to Oklahoma from May to October. The black swallowtail plays a vital role in the cross-pollination of plant life, which is a necessary link in the chain which supports our ecology. In addition, the presence of the black swallowtail not only adds color and beauty but provides enjoyment for our citizens and an opportunity to study and understand the contributions this insect makes to our environment.

Pupae are brown during short-day periods; green or brown depending during long-day periods. Long-day pupae pupating on rough surfaces are brown; green on smooth. On artificial surfaces (usually smooth) they tend to be green on green and yellow (especially) surfaces; and brown on red and blue backgrounds. These chameleon-like factors ensure protection through camoflague in winter or summer conditions. James A. Scott, The Butterflies of North America, 1986, p 174
Chris Scheer author of "Butterfly Memoirs" found a green/orangey pupae pupating on the orange portion of her Habitrail.

Ostemeria, a small forked organ like a deep orange pair of soft horns, protrude from the first segment behind the head and emit a pungent smell. L. Hugh Newman, Transformation of Butterflies and Moths, Ward, Lock & Co., Ltd., 1952, p 187
Example of Giant Swallowtail ostermeria. Chrys=1 5/8 inch Cat=2 3/8

West Virginia adult swallowtails emerging from the overwintering chrysalis fly in early April and into June. The second brood flight begins in June and into August. Some pupae from the second brood pupate for the winter. However in warmer areas a partial third flight occurs from August into September and rarely into October. Thomas J. Allen, The Butterflies of West Virginia and Their Caterpillars, 1997, p 44.

Plant Dill, Parsley, Fennel,
Lantana and Butterflyweed

Or even Cosmos. According to James A. Scott in The Butterflies of North America, 1986, p 173, swallowtail caterpillars are attracted to Umbelliferae* (parsley, fennel, dill, etc.) oils. Caterpillars in the lab ate Cosmos and Solidago which have similar oils.
*Swallowtail caterpillars grew 25 percent faster on cultivated than on wild Umbelliferae (parsley, fennel, dill, etc.) probably because insect-repelling chemicals have been hybridized out of cultivated species to make them more palatable to humans. Ibid.

The Milkweed Cafe, specializing in black swallowtails and Monarchs

Not a black swallowtail but butterfly metamorphosis nonetheless

The Butterfly WebSite

The Domestic Web Goddess's favorite Papillon Professor -- Dan Petr

The importance of providing both Nectar and Larval foods for butterflies; Least hassle Nectar/Larval combos

Plants to repel pests but attract butterflies; Nectar/Larval combos for particular butterflies

Geyata Ajilvsgi's comprehensive profiles of selected butterfly personalities, identification, range, habits and food preferences

Nectar and Larval foods for butterflies that for the most part also attract hummingbirds and are drought-tolerant, low maintenance