List of butterflies of North America (Papilionidae)
Encyclopedia
Swallowtails are the largest butterflies. They range in size from 2.5–6.4 inches (6.5–16.5 cm). There are about 600 species worldwide with about 31 species in North America. All Swallowtails have tails on their hind wings (except the Parnassians). Their flight is slow and gliding but, when disturbed, their flight can be quite strong and rapid. They like to feed on various flowers, dung, and urine, and males like to puddle on damp ground. Most male Swallowtails locate females by patrolling, and some males perch. The eggs
are round and usually laid singly on different kinds of host plants. The larva
e have a reddish-orange forked gland, called an osmeterium
, stored just behind the head. When frightened, the larva thrusts the gland out releasing a foul-odor that will sometimes deter a predator. Many young Swallowtail larvae resemble bird droppings. The chrysalis of most species is brown or green and looks like a leaf or branch. It is held upright by a silken loop around the middle called a girdle
. The Swallowtails overwinter
as a chrysalis.
Subfamily Parnassiinae
Subfamily Papilioninae
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
are round and usually laid singly on different kinds of host plants. The larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e have a reddish-orange forked gland, called an osmeterium
Osmeterium
The osmeterium is a fleshy organ found in the prothoracic segment of larvae of Swallowtail butterflies including Birdwings. This organ emits smelly compounds believed to be pheromones. Normally hidden, this forked structure can be everted when the caterpillar is threatened, and used to emit a...
, stored just behind the head. When frightened, the larva thrusts the gland out releasing a foul-odor that will sometimes deter a predator. Many young Swallowtail larvae resemble bird droppings. The chrysalis of most species is brown or green and looks like a leaf or branch. It is held upright by a silken loop around the middle called a girdle
Girdle
A girdle is a garment that encircles the lower torso, perhaps extending below the hips, and worn often for support. The word girdle originally meant a belt. In modern English, the term girdle is most commonly used for a form of women's foundation wear that replaced the corset in popularity...
. The Swallowtails overwinter
Overwinter
To overwinter is to pass through or wait out the winter season, or to pass through that period of the year when “winter” conditions make normal activity or even survival difficult or near impossible...
as a chrysalis.
Subfamily ParnassiinaeParnassiinaeThe Parnassiinae or Snow Apollos are a subfamily of the Papilionidae or Swallowtail family. The subfamily includes about 50 medium sized, white or yellow species...
: Parnassians
- Eversmann's Parnassian, Parnassius eversmanniParnassius eversmanniParnassius eversmanni or Eversmann's Parnassian is a high altitude butterfly which is found in East Russia , Mongolia, Japan and Alaska. It is a member of the Snow Apollo genus Parnassius of the Swallowtail family.The species was named to honour Eduard Friedrich Eversmann.The larva feeds on...
- Clodius Parnassian, Parnassius clodiusParnassius clodiusParnassius clodius is a high altitude butterfly which is found in the U.S. and Canada. It is a member of the Snow Apollo genus Parnassius of the Swallowtail family.-Distribution:...
- Phoebus Parnassian, Parnassius phoebusParnassius phoebusParnassius phoebus, known as the Phoebus Apollo or Small Apollo, is a butterfly species of the family of Swallowtail butterflies found in Eurasia and North America.P...
- "Phoebus" Phoebus Parnassian, Parnassius phoebus phoebus
- "Rocky Mountain" Parnassian, Parnassius phoebus smintheus
- "Sierra Nevada" Parnassian, Parnassius phoebus behri
Subfamily PapilioninaePapilioninaePapilioninae is a subfamily of the butterfly family Papilionidae. Papilioninae occurs world wide with most of the species being found in the tropics. There are roughly 480 species, of which 27 occur in North America.-References:...
: Swallowtails
- White-dotted Cattleheart, Parides alopiusParides alopiusThe White-dotted Cattleheart is an endemic Mexican butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It has also strayed once into the United States in southeastern Arizona.-Description:...
- Montezuma's Cattleheart, Parides montezumaParides montezumaMontezuma's Cattleheart is a butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is native to the Americas.-Description:The upper side of the wings is black with one row of red crescents along the hind wing margin. The underside of the wings is almost the same as the upper side.-Distribution and habitat:P...
- Variable Cattleheart, Parides erithalionParides erithalionThe Variable Cattleheart is a North American and South American butterfly in the family Papilionidae.-Description:...
- Pipevine Swallowtail, Battus philenor
- Polydamas Swallowtail, Battus polydamasBattus polydamasThe Gold Rim Swallowtail or Polydamas Swallowtail is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae.-Description: The wingspan is 90–120 mm without the tail. The upperside of the wings is black with a broad submarginal band formed by large yellow spots...
- Cuban Kite Swallowtail, Eurytides celadon
- Zebra Swallowtail, Eurytides marcellus
- Guatemalan Kite-Swallowtail, Eurytides epidaus
- Dark Kite-Swallowtail, Eurytides philolaus
- Red-sided Swallowtail, Mimoides phaonMimoides phaonMimoides phaon is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae, native to the Americas. It is commonly known as the Red-sided Swallowtail and the Variable Swallowtail.-Description:...
- Queen Swallowtail, Papilio androgeusPapilio androgeusThe Androgeus Swallowtail or Queen Swallowtail is a butterfly of the Papilionidae family. It is found from Mexico to Argentina with a small population in southern Florida.The wingspan is 134-140 mm...
- Black Swallowtail, Papilio polyxenes
- "Desert" Black Swallowtail, Papilio polyxenes coloro
- Ozark Swallowtail, Papilio joanaePapilio joanaeThe Ozark Swallowtail is a North American butterfly species in the family Papilionidae. It was once considered a synonym to the Black Swallowtail .-Description:...
- Short-tailed Swallowtail, Papilio brevicaudaPapilio brevicaudaThe Short-tailed Swallowtail is a North American butterfly in the family Papilionidae.-Description:The Short-tailed Swallowtail is very similar to the male Black Swallowtail but has shorter tails, and the fore wing tip is rounder...
- Old World Swallowtail, Papilio machaon
- "Baird's" Old World Swallowtail, Papilio machaon bairdii
- "Oregon" Swallowtail, Papilio machaon oregonius
- Anise Swallowtail, Papilio zelicaon
- Indra Swallowtail, Papilio indraPapilio indraThe Indra Swallowtail, Short-tailed Black Swallowtail, or Cliff Swallowtail is a western North American butterfly in the family Papilionidae.-Description:...
- Chinese Swallowtail, Papilio xuthusPapilio xuthusPapilio xuthus, also known as the Asian Swallowtail, Chinese Yellow Swallowtail, or as the Xuthus swallowtail, is a middle to large sized swallowtail butterfly found in northeast Asia, Korea, Japan, and Hawaii.-Description:...
- Band-gapped Swallowtail, Papilio torquatusPapilio torquatusThe Torquatus Swallowtail is a butterfly of the Papilionidae family. It is found from northern Argentina to Mexico.The wingspan is 75–80 mm. Adults strongly resemble Papilio garleppi....
- Thoas Swallowtail, Papilio thoasPapilio thoasThe King Swallowtail or Thoas Swallowtail is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in the United States and Mexico ranging to the southernmost parts of South America.The wingspan is 100–130 mm...
- Giant Swallowtail, Papilio cresphontes
- Schaus's Swallowtail, Papilio aristodemusPapilio aristodemusPapilio aristodemus, commonly known as Schaus' Swallowtail, is a species of American butterfly in the Papilionidae family. It is found in the southern Florida with subspecies in the Bahamas, Hispaniola, and Cuba. Historically it occurred in tropical hardwood hammock from South Miami to Lower...
- Bahamian Swallowtail, Papilio andraemonPapilio andraemonThe Bahaman Swallowtail is a butterfly of the Papilionidae family. It is found on the Bahamas, Cuba and Jamaica. It is a rare stray or temporary colonist of the Florida Keys or the mainland near Miami.The wingspan is 96-102 mm...
- Ornythion Swallowtail, Papilio ornythionPapilio ornythionThe Ornythion Swallowtail is a butterfly of the Papilionidae family. It is found in Mexico and Guatemala. It is occasionally recorded from central and southern Texas and New Mexico and rarely from southern Arizona and Kansas....
- Broad-banded Swallowtail, Papilio astyalusPapilio astyalusThe Broad-banded Swallowtail or Astyalus Swallowtail is a butterfly of the Papilionidae family. It is found from Mexico south to Argentina. It is occasionally reported from southern Texas and rare strays can be found up to southern Arizona and northern Texas.The wingspan is 117-120 mm. Adults are...
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Papilio glaucus
- Canadian Tiger Swallowtail, Papilio canadensisPapilio canadensisThe Canadian Tiger Swallowtail is a species of the Papilionidae family. It was once classified as a subspecies of Papilio glaucus.-Description:Adult...
- Western Tiger Swallowtail, Papilio rutulus
- Two-tailed Swallowtail, Papilio multicaudata
- Pale Swallowtail, Papilio eurymedonPapilio eurymedonPapilio eurymedon, the pale swallowtail or pallid swallowtail is a relatively common swallowtail butterfly found throughout much of the western United States. It is found on the Pacific coast from northern Baja California to southernmost British Columbia and inland to New Mexico and the Black Hills...
- Three-tailed Swallowtail, Papilio pilummus
- Spicebush Swallowtail, Papilio troilus
- Palamedes Swallowtail, Papilio palamedesPapilio palamedesThe Palamedes Swallowtail is a North American butterfly in the family Papilionidae.-Description:...
- Magnificent Swallowtail, Papilio garamasPapilio garamasPapilio garamas is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus Papilio that is found in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Costa Rica.-Subspecies:*Papilio garamas garamas...
- Pale-spotted Swallowtail, Papilio erostratusPapilio erostratusPapilio erostratus is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus Papilio that is found in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Belize and Mexico.-Subspecies:*Papilio erostratus erostratus...
- Victorine Swallowtail, Papilio victorinus
- Pink-spotted Swallowtail, Papilio pharnaces
- Ruby-spotted Swallowtail, Papilio anchisiadesPapilio anchisiadesThe Ruby-spotted Swallowtail or Red-spotted Swallowtail is a butterfly of the Papilionidae family. It is found from southern Texas south to Argentina. A rare stray can be found up to Kansas, south-eastern Arizona and western Texas.The wingspan is 70-100 mm...