Table of Contents for Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
Introduction to the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly is found throughout Pennsylvania and from the midwest and eastern North America. It is one of the most seen butterflies in gardens and was one of the first documented butterflies in North America. In 1758, like he did with plants, Carl Von Linnaeus described this butterfly in Systema Naturae.
Taxonomy and Naming of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
Taxonomy
This butterfly was named and described by Carl von Linnaeus in 1758 in Systema Naturae. The type specimen as described by Linnaeus was collected in Southampton County, Virginia in what is now Virginia Beach. In 1587, the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail was drawn by John White, an illustrator with the “Lost Colony” expedition. It is a member of the family Papilionidae and is in the subfamily Papilioninae.
Meaning of the Scientific and Common Names
Scientific Name
The genus name, Papilio, is Latin for butterfly. The species name, glaucus, means gleaming or gray (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).
Common Name
The common name derives from the resemblance of the butterfly to a tiger.
Physical Description of Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
Description
- Color: Yellow with black stripes (Male and Female), Dark morph that is black in color (females).
- Wingspan: 2.5 to 5.5 inches. Females are larger than the males.
- Active Flying Time: Adults are active between March (in the south) to October.
Life Cycle of this butterfly
Eggs
The eggs of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail are commonly laid on members of the Magnoliaceae such as tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) or Rosaceae such as wild black cherry (Prunus serotina). Sometimes they are laid on other trees, particularly aspen (Populus spp.), but the survival is not as good as the other two species.
Larvae
The larvae, or caterpillars, look like brown and white bird droppings for the first three instars in order to provide camouflage from predators. During the 4th instar, they have two large eyes to look like a snake and a larger appearance prior to becoming a chrysalis. While going through the instars they feed on the leaves of the host plant and deter predators with an orange sticky gland called an osmeterium.
In the north, two broods can be produced, while in the south there are often three in a season.
Range of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail in the United States and Canada
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies are found in the mid-west and eastern United States and Ontario in Canada. The are a little bit rarer in the western mid-west.
Habitat
This butterfly is found in a lot of different habitats ranging from wooded areas, roadsides, gardens, and fields. Essentially anywhere there is a nectar source, however a wooded area is always nearby.
Host Plants
The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is considered to be a generalist, but it prefers cherries (Prunus spp.), tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera), and basswood (Tilia americana). It also uses trees in the birch (Betulaceae) and willow (Salicaceae) families. In the south, this butterfly can also have an affinity for sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana).
Nectar Plants
Like a lot of other butterflies, it likes flowers from milkweeds (Asclepias spp.). It also likes Joe-Pye weeds (Eutrochium spp.), cherries (Prunus spp.), and lilac (Syringa vulgaris).
Frequently Asked Questions about the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Are the male and females of this butterfly different?
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail males are the typical yellow with black stripes, that is often portrayed of this butterfly. The females, however, can have two phases, a yellow and a darker nearly black phase (see image in “physical description” section). The dark phase is more common in the second brood, than the first.
What other butterflies look like Eastern Tiger Swallowtail?
The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is quite distinctive with the yellow and black stripes. However, there is a western version called the Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus) that looks very similar, but generally ranges west of this butterfly. The female “dark phase” does look like a lot of other butterflies and this is by design for protection from predators. The other butterflies are distasteful to birds and this butterfly use mimics them (mimicry) to get the same benefits, since the birds cannot tell the difference.
The butterflies the dark phase looks like include:
Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor): The pipevine swallowtail is distinguished by a row of light-colored spots on the wing margins.
Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus): The spicebush swallowtail is distinguished by its more greenish color and two rows of orange spots on the hindwing.
Female Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes): Female black swallowtails have two rows of yellow-orange spots.
Where can I get more information on this butterfly?
Interesting facts about this butterfly?
It is the state butterfly in five states (Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina) and state insect in Virginia.
