The Swallowtails, worldwide there are over 560 species. In the United States these are some of the largest butterflies and many are common to gardens. All adults visit flowers for nectar. All may overwinter in their chrysalis that are green or brown and slung to a twig with a silk string.
So if your swallowtail chrysalis has not hatched by late Fall, do not panic, it may hatch in the Spring.
Below is a list of some of the major species that frequent gardens. The host plant for the caterpillars is listed for each and if it is available from us or elsewhere, we list the link for you to purchase the plants.
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ZEBRA SWALLOWTAIL |
TIGER SWALLOWTAIL |
Range: Eastern US, excluding New England and Northern part of Great Lakes. South to Eastern Kansas, Oklahoma and Eastern Texas. Adult Habitat: Moist woods along rivers, wooded swamps and pineflats Larva Food Plants: Paw Paw (Asiminia triloba) and other Asiminia species. Plant Sources: Paw Paw Trees
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Range Throughout North America (2 subspecies) Adult Habitat: Forests, Meadows, River Valleys Larva Food Plants Eastern - Tulip Tree (Liriodendron Tulipifera),Sweet Bay (Laurus nobilis), Wild Cherry (Prunus serotina) Western - Cottonwood/Aspen (Populus species), Willows (Salix species), Wild Cherry (Prunus serotina),Ash (fraxinus species) Plant Sources: Sweet Bay
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GIANT SWALLOWTAIL |
BLACK SWALLOWTAIL |
Range Eastern North America rare in Northeast. Adult Habitat: Forests, Meadows, River Valleys, Citrus Groves in South Larva Food Plants Various Citrus, Prickly Ash (Xanthoxylem americanum) Plant Sources Citrus Plants/Trees
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Range Eastern and Central US, to Southeast California Adult Habitat: Open Areas, Meadows, Gardens Larva Food Plants Parsley Family - Dill, Fennel, Parsley, Celery, Golden Alexanders, Queen Anne's Lace, Wild Carrot Plant Sources Golden Alexander - We Sell in 4" Pots for $5.00
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SPICEBUSH SWALLOWTAIL |
PIPEVINE SWALLOWTAIL |
Range Eastern US Adult Habitat: Woodlands, Swamps, Gardens Larva Food Plants Spicebush (Lindera Benzoin) Plant Sources |
Range Eastern US (Rare in New England) to Southwest. Adult Habitat: Woodland Clearings, Meadows, and Scrub in Southwest Larva Food Plants Pipevine Species Plant Sources Pipevine species
All plants from this nursery are of the highest quality. If we had a large nursery, we would like this one! |
Other Swallowtails in North America
We listed most of the more common Swallowtails found in the United States but there are other species as well.
Anise Swallowtail, Polydamas Swallowtail, Joan's Swallowtail,Baird's Swallowtail,Schaus Swallowtail,Bahaman Swallowtail,Ornythion Swallowtail,Lycophron Swallowtail,Androgeus Swallowtail,Two Tailed Swallowtail,Three Tailed Swallowtail,Palamedes Swallowtail,Victorine Swallowtail,Anchisiades SwallowtailWe hope you can attract as many of these butterflies as possible.
Monarchs have their own page, click on the banner below to visit our Monarch Page.
This page is not quite ready, but we are building as fast as we can.