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| Zebra Swallowtail |
Latin
Name: Eurytides marcellus |
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Genus: Eurytides Species: marcellus |
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Comments: |
| The black and white striped Zebra Swallowtail can be confused with no other butterfly in the state. Adults have a low, rapid flight and adeptly maneuver among understory vegetation. Males regularly patrol territories for females. This swallowtail has a proportionately short proboscis and is thus unable to nectar at many long, tubular flowers. It instead prefers white and black composites and is regularly attracted to white flowers. Summer-form individuals are larger, darker, and have longer hindwing tails. |
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Life
Cycle: |
Broods: |
multiple generations |
Egg: |
light green, laid singly on host leaves or budding branches |
Larva: |
several color forms; may be green, green with light blue and yellow stripes or charcoal with white and yellow stripes |
Host Plants: |
various pawpaws |
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Host
Plants: |
Host
Plants: |
various pawpaws |
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Habitat: |
Habitat: |
woodlands, pinelands, pastures, forest edges and old fields |
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Wingspan: |
Inches: |
2.5 - 4 |
Centimeters: |
6.4 - 10.2 |
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Appearance: |
Sexes: |
similar |
Compare: |
unique |
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| Markings: |
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Above:
- white with black stripes and long, slender tails; hindwings bear a bright red patch above the eyespot; spring-forms are smaller, lighter and have shorter tails
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Below:
- as above, but with a red stripe through hindwing
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Abundance: |
occasional to common |
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Map Legend: Resident (green) | Stray
(Red) |
