Lepidoptera: Family Papilionidae (Swallowtails) Next: Page 4: Saturniidae
Papilio glaucus Tiger Swallowtail. Hosts: leaves of various plants including wild cherry (Prunus), sweetbay (Magnolia), basswood (Tilia), tulip tree (Liriodendron), birch (Betula), ash (Fraxinus), cottonwood (Populus), mountain ash (Sorbus), and willow (Salix). Adults feed on nectar of flowers from a variety of plants including wild cherry and lilac (Syringa vulgaris). Females lay eggs singly on host leaves. Caterpillars eat leaves and rest on silken mats in shelters of curled leaves. Chrysalids overwinter. Larvae have a single pair of false eyespots on the metathorax,

Papilio polyxenes Black Swallowtail. Hosts: Leaves of plants in the parsley family (Apiaceae) including Queen Anne's Lace, carrot, celery and dill. Sometimes plants in the citrus family (Rutaceae) are preferred. Adults feed on nectar including red clover, milkweed, and thistles. Female lays eggs singly on leaves and flowers of the host, which are then eaten by hatching larvae. Hibernates as a chrysalis.
Larvae have scent producing osmeterium as a defense mechanism, characteristic of Papilionidae. Adults pictured are: female ups, female und, male ups.

Papilio cresphontes Giant Swallowtail, a.k.a. Orange Dog. Hosts: Trees and herbs of the citrus family (Rutaceae) including Citrus species, prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum), and hop tree (Ptelea trifoliata). Adults feed on nectar from lantana, azalea, bougainvilla, bouncing Bet, dame's rocket, goldenrod, Japanese honeysuckle, and swamp milkweed. Females lay single eggs on host leaves and twigs. Caterpillars resemble bird droppings and eat leaves and young shoots. Chrysalids hibernate. Adults pictured are ups and und.