Photo © 2005 Jim Jung and licensors. All rights reserved.

Zebra Swallowtails

Zebra Swallowtails – those large black and white butterflies with the red spots on their wing "tails" appear just as the first spring wildflowers are beginning to bloom in earnest. Having fattened up on pawpaw leaves last fall they've spent the winter pupating in their chrysalises hidden in the leaves of the forest floor waiting for spring - and a new crop of pawpaw leaves.

Swallowtails are named for the pronounced elongation of their rear wingtips. Entomologists believe that these brightly marked wingtips act as targets or lures for hungry birds who attempt to grasp their prey at this point and end up with just a mouthful of dry wingtip. Judging by the large number of older Zebra Swallowtails lacking tails and showing beak-shaped bites in this area seems to validate this assumption.

Swallowtails of all kinds are abundant in early spring - or maybe it's just that these brightly colored and extremely conspicuous insects are more noticeable now than later in the season - and are more easily spotted feeding on wildflowers, gathering at butterfly "puddleclubs" for a mineral rich drink, and chasing each other about as they pursue potential mates. Keep your eyes open.

From our Archive: Butterfly Gardening

Offsite Links:

• USGS Zebra Swallowtail page

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