Landscaping & Gardening Information

CSnet7.com Home Page

The Swallowtail -- A Beautiful Butterfly


Swallowtail butterflies are some of the most beautiful butterflies found anywhere. The North American species are large, brightly colored butterflies with tailed, rear wings. There are more than 600 species worldwide with only about 30 of those living in North America. They have wingspans of 2 to 5 ˝ inches long.

Most swallowtails belong to four general subgroups. These groups are the Black Swallowtails ( Papilio spp.), Giant Swallowtails ( Heraclides spp.), Tiger Swallowtails(Pterourus spp.), and Pipevine Swallowtails ( Battus spp.).The Zebra Swallowtails belong to another group, Eurytides.

The Black Swallowtails are black with yellow spots or broad yellow bands. Their caterpillars usually feed on plants in the carrot family such as Queen Anne's lace, parsley, or cow parsnip. North American members of this family include Eastern Black, Desert, Short-tailed, Western Black, Oregon, and Anise.

Giant Swallowtails are brown and yellow in color. Their caterpillars prefer citrus plants and trees, torchwood, prickly ash, and pepper plants, In North America you can find Thoas, Giant or Orange Dog, Schaus', and Ruby-spotted members of this group.

The Tiger Swallowtails are colored just as their name suggests, yellow with black stripes. You will find their caterpillars feeding on deciduous trees. They probably have the greatest variety of host plants, but their favorites include willow, cottonwood, birch, ash, poplar, sycamore and cherry trees. The Tiger, Western Tiger, Two-tailed Tiger, Pale Tiger, Spicebush or Green Cloud, and Palamedes all live in North America.

Pipevine Swallowtails are usually blackish in color. Their caterpillars eat pipe vines, aristolochias, which are woody vines with sharp smelling roots. This food makes most of these butterflies not very tasty to most predators. North American species include the Blue Swallowtail and the Gold Rim.

Zebra Swallowtails are aptly named for their color, which resembles that of a zebra, white with black stripes. There are only two members of this group in North America the Zebra and the Dark Zebra Swallowtail. You'll find their caterpillars on pawpaws and other members of the Asimina species. Because of this very specialized host plant, the Zebra numbers have dropped rapidly in recent years.

Have you seen a swallowtail recently?

Christi Vega is the author of "The Joy and Serenity of Creating A Butterfly Garden". Go to http://www.abutterflygarden.com to learn how you can create a beautiful garden that attracts these marvel winged creatures to your home.

You may reprint this article in its entirety as long as the resource box is included.


MORE RESOURCES:

Western Trade Days lengthens schedule
Denton Record Chronicle, TX - Aug 21, 2008
The once-monthly sale in Tioga, which began its season in June, will now be available through November, adding a couple extra months to the itinerary. ...


Tight economy trims home landscaping plans
One Bakersfield, CA - Aug 11, 2008
If you've put off buying new plants for your home landscape, you're not alone. Nursery operators say the spring season was slower than average. ...


Native landscaping and rain gardens to be discussed Friday
Spooner Advocate, WI - Aug 6, 2008
Sarah Boles and Mary Jo Gingras will present another installment of the “Women on the Move” series at noon on Friday at Redbery Books in Cable. ...


Price back in the saddle as agricultural extension agent
Palestine Herald Press, TX - Aug 16, 2008
If you love flowers, plants, landscaping, gardening this may be your organization. The Anderson County Master Gardeners will host a training class beginning ...


Circle Named After President Akufo-Addo
Graphic Online, Ghana - Aug 18, 2008
He said GT contributed by constructing the six-feet bronze monument, landscaping, gardening, fencing and the lightening of the circle, and expressed the ...


Calendar for Aug. 7
Milpitas Post, CA - Aug 6, 2008
... event planning, facilities planning, fundraising, grant writing, graphic design, and landscaping/gardening. The Wildlife Center, located in San Jose, ...


Calendar for Aug. 14
Milpitas Post, CA - Aug 13, 2008
... event planning, facilities planning, fundraising, grant writing, graphic design, and landscaping/gardening. The Wildlife Center, located in San Jose, ...

Landscaping-Gardening - Google News

home | site map | Coffee | Fashion | Landscaping and Gardening
Lawnmower Source | CSnet7 | CShroeder | Gifts
© 2006 EZmatic.com