Black Swallowtail Papilio polyxenes Fabricius, 1775    Synonyms: Eastern Black Swallowtail, Hodges #4159, Papilio polyxenes asterius.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Lepidoptera   >   Family Papilionidae   >   Genus Papilio   

Status:

Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) is a widespread and common species ranging across much of North America east of the Rocky Mountains, and extending into Central America. The black and yellow males are distinctive, while the females have reduced yellow, and substantial blue scaling on the hind wings, mimicing the distasteful Pipevine Swallowtail, which many predators tend to avoid. Black Swallowtail is active as an adult from about May to September (Butterflies of Maryland: A Biological Summary and Checklist by Lynn Davidson & Richard Smith; Brock & Kaufman 2003).

Relationships:

Host plants include Spotted Water Hemlock, Mock Bishop's Weed, Poison Hemlock, Wild Parsnip, Queen Anne's Lace, and various other plants in the carrot family.

There are 699 records in the project database.

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A male Black Swallowtail in Howard Co., Maryland (8/10/2014). Photo by Kevin Heffernan. (MBP list)

A female Black Swallowtail in Howard Co., Maryland (8/19/2012). Photo by Annette Allor. (MBP list)

A male Black Swallowtail in Charles Co., Maryland (7/9/2006). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A Black Swallowtail in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/1/2011) Photo by Jon Corcoran. (MBP list)

A Black Swallowtail feeding on Wild Bergamot in Howard Co., Maryland (7/4/2013). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

A Black Swallowtail in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/22/2019). Photo by Jim Moore. (MBP list)

A female Black Swallowtail in Baltimore City, Maryland (8/21/2006). Photo by Thomas Wilson. (MBP list)

A Black Swallowtail in Dorchester Co., Maryland (8/6/2017). Photo by Erica Weick. (MBP list)

A Black Swallowtail caterpillar in Baltimore Co., Maryland (9/14/2008). Photo by Steve Collins. (MBP list)

A Black Swallowtail caterpillar in Baltimore Co., Maryland (8/7/2014). Photo by Brandon Woo. (MBP list)

A Black Swallowtail caterpillar in Baltimore City, Maryland (6/2/2015). Photo by Thomas Wilson. (MBP list)

A Black Swallowtail caterpillar photographed at the Jemicy School in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/2011). Photo by Emily Stanley. (MBP list)

Black Swallowtail caterpillars in Kent Co., Maryland (9/3/2013). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

A Balck Swallowtail caterpillar showing its defensive horns in Worcester Co., Maryland (9/13/2013). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

A Black Swallowtail caterpillar ready to pupate in Prince George's Co., Maryland (6/9/2015). The following four photos follow this individual until she emerges. Photo by Jane Chandler. (MBP list)

A Black Swallowtail chrysalis in Prince George's Co., Maryland (6/10/2015). Photo by Jane Chandler. (MBP list)

A Black Swallowtail chrysalis in Prince George's Co., Maryland (6/10/2015). Photo by Jane Chandler. (MBP list)

A just-emerged female Black Swallowtail in Prince George's Co., Maryland (6/19/2015). Photo by Jane Chandler. (MBP list)

A female Black Swallowtail with the remains of her chrysalis in Prince George's Co., Maryland (6/19/2015). Photo by Jane Chandler. (MBP list)

A Black Swallowtail chrysalis in Baltimore City, Maryland (8/21/2006). Photo by Thomas Wilson. (MBP list)

A Black Swallowtail caterpillar on Queen Anne's Lace in Carroll Co., Maryland (8/3/2016). Photo by Maddie Koenig. (MBP list)

Black Swallowtail in Worcester Co., Maryland (7/25/2021). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

The ichneumon wasp, Trogus pennator, that parasitized a Black Swallowtail caterpillar and emerged from the chrysalis in Calvert Co., Maryland (1969). Photo by Richard Wasson. (MBP list)

Black Swallowtail caterpillars in Montgomery Co., Maryland (9/5/2017). (c) Serenella Linares, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Serenella Linares via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Black Swallowtail in Harford Co., Maryland (6/9/2017). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Black Swallowtail in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (10/22/2020). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

Black Swallowtail in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/16/2021). (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Judy Gallagher. (MBP list)

Black Swallowtail in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (9/6/2022). (c) glm91419, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by glm91419 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Black Swallowtail in Montgomery Co., Maryland (5/26/2019). (c) lace winks, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by lace_winks via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A male Black Swallowtail collected in Frederick Co., Maryland (8/7/2003). Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)

A female Black Swallowtail collected in Frederick Co., Maryland (8/7/2003). Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)

A Black Swallowtail caterpillar in Cecil Co., Maryland (7/10/2019). Photo by Shannon Schade. (MBP list)

Black Swallowtail in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (8/28/2009). (c) Hans Holbrook, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Hans Holbrook. (MBP list)

A Black Swallowtail chrysalis in Talbot Co., Maryland (7/11/2017). Photo by Erica Weick. (MBP list)


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