Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly " Eurytides Marcellus"

Wingspan : 2 1/2" to 4"

Zebra swallowtail have the longest tail of any butterfly in North America. There are two or three generations each year. Late season chrysalises overwinter and those spring adults are smaller with shorter tails. The sexes are very similar. This species is one of the first to emerge in springs and these early adults are small, crisply market, and have short tails.

Larva: Young larva are black. The mature caterpillars have several color forms, but all have black and yellow behind the head and a transverse blue., black, and yellow stripe on the thorax that is usually mostly hidden. The main color forms are light green with black sprinkles, green with pale blue and yellow stripes, or brown with white and yellow stripes. The body is thickest at the thorax and strongly tapers toward the rear. The osmeterium is bright yellow.

Pupa: The chrysalis is usually uniformly, but a brown form also occurs.

* If you are looking for some host plant for the Zebra Swallowtail like Annona Glabra or Common Pawpaw, our Nursery "Eden of Wings" carries these plants year-round. Occasionally we are able to have Big Flower Pawpaw and Small flower pawpaw, but these two can be more difficult to grow from the seed.

What host plants are good for the caterpillars?

* Annona Glabra " pond apple"

* Asimina Triloba " common pawpaw"

* Asimina Obovata " big flower pawpaw"

* Asimina Parviflora " small flower pawpaw"

* Asimina Pygmea "dwarf pawpaw"