Black Swallowtail male

  • Family name: Papilionidae/Swallowtails
  • General description: Male black with broad yellow submarginal band and row of yellow marginal spots. Female black with yellow submarginal band reduced or absent; hindwing with increased blue scaling. Hindwing has single tail and orange eyespot containing central black pupil. Ventral hindwing with submarginal and marginal spots containing orange, as well as a single yellow-orange cell-spot. Abdomen with longitudinal rows of small yellow spots.
  • Field Marks: General: Single black hindwing tail; orange hindwing eyespot with central black pupil; abdomen with longitudinal rows of yellow spots; ventral hindwing with yellow cell-spot Male: wings with broad yellow band and bordered by row of yellow spots Female: yellow spot band reduced or absent; hindwing with increased blue scaling
  • Sexes: appear differentBlack Swallowtail larva
  • Wingspan: 66-90
  • Life Cycle: Egg: yellow, spherical, laid singly on host leaves or flowers Mature Caterpillar: Green with black bands on each segment containing yellow-orange spots Chrysalis: Brown with dark striations or green
  • Number of Generations: 3 or more per year
  • Flight Season:
  • Abundance: Common
  • Habitat: Roadsides, gardens, parks, old fields, agricultural land, meadows, pastures, disturbed sitesBlack Swallowtail female
  • Larval Host Plants: Native, cultivated, and naturalized plants in the carrot family (Apiaceae) including parsley (Petroselinium crispum), dill (Anthum graveolens), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), mock bishop’s weed (Ptilimnium capillaceum)
  • Similar Species: No similar species
  • Additional Information: Mimics Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor). Range is limited in Arizona and Wyoming.
  • Range in Florida

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