SWALLOWTAILS  

Swallowtails are among our largest butterflies. They visit gardens and occur throughout our warmer months.  

PIPEVINE SWALLOWTAIL-  FAIRLY  COMMON   p. 43, plate 1   One of the dark swallowtails, Wide-ranging and fairly common spring into autumn over most of its range throughout the United States (except northern tier states) to southern Mexico.  Our only swallowtail to continuously flutter its wings while feeding. Males have a brighter metallic blue in the dorsal hindwing region and smaller white spots than females.

Ventral view, female dorsal, then male-


ZEBRA SWALLOWTAIL-  FAIRLY COMMON  p. 44  Plate  1 Locally common spring into autumn near host plant, Pawpaws, in southern half of eastern and mid-western states decreasing northward and westward.  

BLACK SWALLOWTAIL-  FAIRLY COMMON   p. 45 Plate 2    This is our smallest swallowtail, fairly common spring to autumn in most of the U.S. to South America.

Ventral view, female dorsal, then male-

SPICEBUSH SWALLOWTAIL-  FAIRLY COMMON TO COMMON   p. 49 plate 2     Common near woodlands from spring into autumn-

GIANT SWALLOWTAIL-  RARE  Upstate SC   p.46 plate 3      These photos from Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas.  I have seen this species in Polk County, NC and near SC coast.   This very large swallowtail is more common near the SC coast and southward to Florida, Texas, and Mexico.

EASTERN TIGER SWALLOWTAIL-  VERY COMMON and SC state butterfly   p.48  plate 4    Females have extensive hindwing blue markings.  Almost half of our regional females are the dark form shown below-

APPALACHIAN SWALLOWTAIL-  RARE  p.49  Larger than E. Swallowtail with a single spring brood.  I found the first Appalachian Swallowtail for SC on the Blue Wall Preserve trail of Greenville County, pictured below.