Papilio glaucus  Linnaeus, 1758 – Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

A female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio glaucus) nectaring on purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
A female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) nectaring on purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Taxonomy

  1. Order: Lepidoptera Linnaeus, 1758
  2. Family: Papilionidae Latreille, 1809
  3. Subfamily: Papilioninae Latreille, 1802
  4. Tribe: Papilionini Latreille, [1802]
  5. Genus: Papilio Linnaeus, 1758
  6. Species: glaucus Linnaeus, 1758 P3# 770316 MONA# 4176

This species is often placed in the genus Pterourus.

Description

Males are readily distinguished from females by the lack of blue on the hind wing submarginal band. Females come in two color forms; yellow and black.

Distribution

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is found in the eastern United States.

Seasonality

This species has two to three broods per year and can be seen from April to September in most of its range.

Habitat

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail can be found in a wide range of habitats, including parks, fields, meadows, deciduous forests, forest edges, and river valleys.

Food

Adults readily visit flowers for nectar; commonly visited flowers include purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), milkweeds (Asclepias spp.), and Joe-pye weed (Eupatorium spp.)

Life Cycle

Larval host plants include wild cherry (Prunus spp.), sweetbay (Magnolia spp.), tulip tree (Liriodendron), cottonwood (Populus), mountain ash (Sorbus), and willow (Salix).