(Papilio polyxenes)
Swallowtails
Appearance: Above, males are black with a row of yellow spots along the trailing edge of the wing edges and a yellow submarginal band. Females are mostly black above, with small yellow spots on the trailing edge of the forewing and blue scaling on the hindwing. Both have a yellow spot on tips of the forewing. Below, the hindwing has two rows of orange spots with blue between. Both male and female have long tails and a black abdomen with rows of faint yellow spots.
Wingspan: Large; 3 to 4 1/4 inches.
Habitat: Urban, suburban and rural open areas including fields, gardens, marshes, hilltops, and roadsides; plains, foothills.
Flight Times: April to July; two or more broods.
Larval Foodplant: Plants in the parsley family (cultivated and native) and sometimes plants in the citrus family.
Did You Know…
Males perch and patrol for receptive females. Female lays eggs singly on leaves and flowers of the host plant, which are then eaten by hatching larvae. Overwinters as a chrysalis.
