Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly from Eden of Wings Nursery
Wingspans: 2 1/2" to 4 1/2"
These big butterflies are hard to miss as they flit through the garden. Their signature tails extend from the lower wings and tiger like black stripes taper down from the top. Males and females look very similar but the females have the iridescent blue. Female can also be dimorphic, which means some of them emerge from the chrysalis with the color variation you see in the illustration below. Both the adult and caterpillar eat from a variety of plants, and there are usually two generations in the North and three in the South, with the last one overwintering as a chrysalis until springs, instead of migrating. Eastern tiger swallowtails have a wide distribution and are found in many different areas, from deciduous woods to backyard gardens.
Larva: The young caterpillars are dark brown with a white saddle and resemble bird droppings. The last stage larva is green with crowns of small blue spots on the abdomen. The thorax is enlarged and has a pair of small eyespots and a narrow yellow and black transverse line that is usually is mostly hidden. The body is stout. The osmeterium is orange.
Pupa: The chrysalis is grayish with dark markings and patches of green It resembles a broken twig with lichens.
What are the Host plants for the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail?
* Liriodendron Tulipifera ( tulip tree)
* Magnolia Grandiflora ( southern magnolia)
* Magnolia Virginiana (sweetbay)
What are the Host plants for the Western Tiger Swallowtail?
* Populus Deltoides (cottonwood)
* Salix Nigra (black willow)
* Prunus Serotina ( wild cherry)
* Fraxinus Americana (white ash)
