BLACK SWALLOWTAIL

BLACK SWALLOWTAIL

Papilio polyxenes
SWALLOWTAIL FAMILY (Papilionidae)


Click on each photo thumbnail to enlarge.

The mature caterpillar is about 2 inches long and is white with black cross-bands on each segment broken by yellow or orange spots. It is relatively smooth. (See photo A, B & C which are 4th instar caterpillars). The 3rd instar is black with a white mid-section and is covered with many orange and black spikes (photos D & E). The caterpillar has orange scent horns which protrude from the head when it is alarmed.

 

This species is fairly common in Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods in the prairie areas. You’ll find them on the larval food plants which are members of the carrot family such as Queen Anne’s Lace, Cow Parsnip and Golden Alexanders and also Rue.

 

The Black Swallowtail butterfly has a wingspan of 3 to 3 1/2 inches. The male is black dorsally with yellow spots along the edges of the wings and a submarginal yellow band. There is an orange spot enclosing a black spot in the corner of the hindwing and a row of blue spots above. Ventrally, the male has orange, blue and yellow spots. The female is black dorsally with 2 rows of white spots along the edges of the wings. She also has a large area of blue scaling on the upper hindwing with an orange spot enclosing a black spot in the corner. Both sexes have black “tails” at the bottom of the hindwings.

 

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