The Black Swallowtail, also known as the Eastern Black Swallowtail, is a striking member of the swallowtail family native to much of North America. Known for its graceful appearance, this butterfly displays a bold black upper surface with open wings, marked by two rows of yellow spots. In males, the yellow spots are larger and brighter, while in females, they appear smaller and lighter. A band of iridescent blue between the rows is more vivid in females than males. On the inner edge of each hindwing sits a red spot with a black bullseye, along with a single yellow spot near the front edge. When the wings are closed, the underside is mostly black, decorated with white, blue, and orange spots separated by soft, powdery blue areas.

 

Male

“Black Swallowtail” by John Flannery, licensed under (CC BY-ND 2.0)

 

Female

“Black Swallowtail” by John Flannery, licensed under (CC BY-ND 2.0)

 

Black Swallowtail Facts

Butterfly Family: Swallowtail Butterflies (Papilionidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Papilioninae

Butterfly Wingspan: 2 1/2 – 4 inches

Butterfly Habitat: A variety of open areas including fields, suburbs, marshes, deserts, and roadsides

 

🪴 Host Plants

These are the plants where females lay eggs and caterpillars feed:

• Carrot (Daucus carota)

• Dill (Anethum graveolens)

• Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

• Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea)

• Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)

• Rue (Ruta graveolens)

 

🌸 Nectar Plants

Adult Black Swallowtail butterflies feed on nectar from a variety of native flowers:

• Blazing Star (Liatris spp.)

• Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

• Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

• Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

• Ironweed (Vernonia spp.)

• Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum spp.)

• Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)

• Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

• Thistle (Cirsium spp.)

• Vervain (Verbena spp.)

• Zinnia (Zinnia spp.)