Eastern Tiger Swallowtail: All You Need to Know in a Quick Guide

folder_openInsecta, Lepidoptera
comment7 Comments

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio glaucus) offers a captivating sight for nature lovers. Found predominantly east of the Mississippi river and extending a bit farther west into the Great Plains states, these large insects also make their home in several Mexican states. Their vibrant appearance and widespread presence make them one of the most common and beautiful butterflies of the eastern region.

Sporting a wingspan between 3.12 and 5.5 inches, the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies are known for their distinct yellow color and striking black stripes. Males embody the iconic yellow-and-black appearance, while females come in two variations – yellow with black stripes (similar to males) or black with darker black stripes. The stunning blue scales on the dorsal side of the hindwings are particularly characteristic of this species and offer a breathtaking visual experience for those lucky enough to encounter them.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail: Identification

Color and Pattern

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is known for its distinctive combination of colors and patterns. Here are some of its visual features:

  • Predominantly yellow color
  • Four black bands on front wings
  • Black border on both wings with a row of yellow spots
  • Some individuals have small blue and orange spots near the edge of the hind wings
Click here to view the comparison table
  Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Main color Yellow
Black bands on wings Four
Black border with yellow spots Yes
Blue and orange spots Some individuals

Size and Wingspan

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is a large butterfly species. Its key measurements include:

This makes the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail one of the most recognizable and admired swallowtail butterflies in the eastern United States, often found in butterfly gardens and treasured by young collectors.

Distribution and Habitat

North America

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) is a beautiful and common butterfly, typically found in various regions of North America. They are concentrated mostly in the East, particularly along the Mississippi River and the Appalachian Forests 1.

  • Eastern US: Populated areas extend from the Mississippi River eastward
  • Appalachian Forests: Dense presence in these mountainous woodlands

Great Plains

Additionally, Eastern Tiger Swallowtails have populations that stretch a bit farther west, into the Great Plains states 2.

  • Great Plains States: Spreading westward from the Mississippi River

Overall, the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail’s habitat includes forests and wooded areas, where they have access to nectar-rich flowers and host plants for larvae 3.

Comparison Table: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Distribution

Region Habitat States/Regions
North America – East Forests, near the Mississippi River Mississippi River states, Appalachian Forests
Great Plains Forests, grasslands Great Plains states

Life Cycle and Development

Eggs

The life cycle of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly begins with eggs. Female butterflies lay tiny, spherical eggs that are greenish-white in color. These eggs are laid singly on the leaves of host plants, such as wild cherry and tulip trees.

Caterpillars

Upon hatching, the caterpillars of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail start feeding on the host plant leaves. As they grow, they pass through five instars or developmental stages. Early instars are bird dropping mimics, helping them avoid predators:

  • First instar: black with a white saddle
  • Later instars: green with two large, false eyespots

Caterpillars undergo considerable growth during these stages and ultimately reach a length of up to 2 inches (5 cm) before entering the chrysalis phase.

Chrysalis

In the chrysalis phase, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail caterpillars undergo metamorphosis. They attach themselves to a twig or stem, forming a protective shell called chrysalis. During this time, the caterpillar transforms into an adult butterfly. Some Eastern Tiger Swallowtails overwinter as chrysalises, while others complete this process within a few weeks.

Adult Butterfly

Once the metamorphosis is complete, the adult Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly emerges from the chrysalis. The adult butterfly has a wingspan range of 7.9 to 14.0 cm (approx. 3.12 to 5.5 inches). They are easily recognizable by their vibrant yellow color and black bands on the front wings.

Comparison of Life Cycle Stages:

Stage Characteristics
Egg Tiny, greenish-white, laid singly on host plant leaves
Caterpillar Mimics bird droppings, goes through five instars
Chrysalis Protective shell, metamorphosis occurs, some overwinter
Adult Butterfly Vibrant yellow color, black bands, wingspan of 3.12-5.5 inches

Diet and Host Plants

Plants for Caterpillars

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail caterpillars primarily feed on host plants such as:

  • Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
  • Wild cherry (Prunus serotina)
  • Cottonwood (Populus deltoides)
  • Willow (Salix species)

These host plants serve as essential food sources for the caterpillars to develop into adult butterflies. Some caterpillars may also feed on species like black cherry, birch, and ash trees source.

Nectar Sources for Adults

Adult Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies seek nectar from various flowers as their primary food source. Some popular nectar sources include:

  • Milkweed (Asclepias species)
  • Lilac (Syringa species)
  • Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium species)
  • Phlox (Phlox species)

These nectar flowers not only provide nourishment for the adult butterflies but also attract them to gardens and natural landscapes source.

Host Plants Nectar Flowers
Tulip tree (tulipifera) Milkweed (Asclepias)
Wild cherry (Prunus serotina) Lilac (Syringa)
Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium)
Willow (Salix sp.) Phlox (Phlox)

By planting a mix of host plants and nectar flowers, you can support both the caterpillars and adult Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, promoting a healthy butterfly population in your area source.

Predators and Defense Mechanisms

Common Predators

Eastern tiger swallowtail butterflies face several predators in their natural habitat, including but not limited to:

  • Birds
  • Ants
  • Praying mantises

These predators often target the caterpillar stage of eastern tiger swallowtails, looking for an easy meal.

Mimicry

Mimicry is a common defense mechanism used by eastern tiger swallowtails and other butterfly species. For instance, the eastern tiger swallowtail mimics the pipevine swallowtail, a butterfly species with a toxic defense. By resembling this toxic species, eastern tiger swallowtails deceive predators into avoiding them.

Another example of mimicry is the black swallowtail, which resembles the poisonous monarch caterpillar. This resemblance helps deter predators from consuming them as they mistake them for the toxic species.

False Eyes

Eastern tiger swallowtails rely on the presence of false eyes to deter potential predators. These false eyes are often found on their hindwing, providing the appearance of a larger, more intimidating creature.

Species Defense Mechanism
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Mimics Pipevine Swallowtail, False Eyes
Pipevine Swallowtail Toxic Defense
Black Swallowtail Mimics Monarch Caterpillar
Monarch Caterpillar Toxic Defense

Conservation and Pollination

Importance of Eastern Tiger Swallowtails

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) plays a vital role in pollination due to its wide range of host plants. These butterflies serve as excellent pollinators for numerous flowers and trees.

  • Pollination: Helps in plant reproduction and food production for humans and wildlife.
  • Ecosystem: Positively impacts biodiversity and supports a healthy ecosystem.

For instance, Eastern Tiger Swallowtails can be observed visiting plants like milkweed, dogbane, and various fruit trees.

However, the butterfly faces challenges due to habitat loss and pesticide exposure.

Conservation efforts:

  • Create butterfly-friendly gardens, providing nectar-rich flowers and host plants.
  • Limit or avoid using pesticides in gardens and landscapes.
  • Participate in citizen science projects to monitor butterfly populations.
Features Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Wingspan 3.1 – 5.5 inches
Distribution Eastern North America
Host plants Wide range
Conservation Habitat preservation
Threats Pesticides, habitat loss

By supporting the conservation of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, we ensure their continued contribution to pollination and a balanced ecosystem.

Footnotes

  1. US Forest Service – Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
  2. Alabama Butterfly Atlas – Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
  3. Missouri Department of Conservation – Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

 

Tiger Swallowtail: Gynandromorph or not???

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiger Swallowtails Puddling

 

 

 

 

 

Tiger Swallowtail

 

Tiger Swallowtail

Authors

  • Bugman

    Bugman aka Daniel Marlos has been identifying bugs since 1999. whatsthatbug.com is his passion project and it has helped millions of readers identify the bug that has been bugging them for over two decades. You can reach out to him through our Contact Page.

    View all posts
  • Piyushi is a nature lover, blogger and traveler at heart. She lives in beautiful Canada with her family. Piyushi is an animal lover and loves to write about all creatures.

    View all posts
Tags: Tiger Swallowtails

Related Posts

7 Comments. Leave new

  • dorwageld@aol.com
    August 21, 2012 9:10 pm

    Goodness, Daniel, I was away for some time in July, shortly after I sent these Eastern Tiger Swallowtail shots to you, and I never noticed the comprehensive response you wrote. Thank you – and apologies for not thanking you earlier! After reading your request for clear photos of a Western Tiger, I went in search this evening for the differences between the Western and Eastern varieties, and I came upon an interesting, related tidbit from a web site called learnaboutbutterflies.com:

    “Back in the 18th century when Linnaeus created the System Naturae, the word Papilio was used as the genus name for every known species of butterfly in the world. Since then much has been learnt about the relationships between different species. Consequently most have been reassigned to new genera, and only about 215 of the 17600 currently known species are retained in Papilio.
    There are 30 Papilio species in the Australian region, 60 in the Oriental region, 40 in the Holarctic region, 54 in the Afrotropical region, and 31 in the Neotropical region ( the latter figure includes 28 that have recently been transferred to the genus Heraclides ). The 40 Holarctic species include 21 found in North America – excluding those found south of Mexico, on Caribbean islands, and species that have been transferred to Heraclides.
    Papilio rutulus was originally considered to be a subspecies of glaucus. Females of glaucus however are earthy brown in colour, with no trace of dark bands on the upperside, whereas rutulus females are identical in colour and pattern to the males.” (http://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/North%20America%20-%20Papilio%20rutulus.htm)

    Reply
  • dorwageld@aol.com
    September 16, 2013 8:30 am

    Stunning, stunning, stunning!

    Reply
  • This is P. glaucus to me.
    “The second diagnostic feature for canadensis is the width of the black band along the anal margin of the hindwing (Scriber 1982). For P. glaucus males, widths are in the range 10 to 50 percent of the width from wing margin to the CuA2 vein; whereas for P. canadensis males,
    the range is 50 to 90 percent (Scriber 1982, R. Hagen, unpubl. data). The width of the black band is greater in females than males, though the relative difference between species persists. ”
    I think we can tell this based on the underside view:
    http://butterfliesofamerica.com/papilio_g_glaucus_specimens.htm
    http://butterfliesofamerica.com/papilio_canadensis_specimens.htm

    Reply
  • This is P. glaucus to me.
    “The second diagnostic feature for canadensis is the width of the black band along the anal margin of the hindwing (Scriber 1982). For P. glaucus males, widths are in the range 10 to 50 percent of the width from wing margin to the CuA2 vein; whereas for P. canadensis males,
    the range is 50 to 90 percent (Scriber 1982, R. Hagen, unpubl. data). The width of the black band is greater in females than males, though the relative difference between species persists. ”
    I think we can tell this based on the underside view:
    http://butterfliesofamerica.com/papilio_g_glaucus_specimens.htm
    http://butterfliesofamerica.com/papilio_canadensis_specimens.htm

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Fill out this field
Fill out this field
Please enter a valid email address.
You need to agree with the terms to proceed

keyboard_arrow_up