Eastern Tiger Swallowtail – Papilio glaucus

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail – Papilio glaucus Common Name: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Latin Name: Papilio glaucus Appearance: Eggs: Eggs are green Larva: Larvae can grow up to 6.4 cm in length when fully mature. The first three instars seem like bird droppings because they are dark brown with a white saddle. Green larvae in the fourth and fifth instars have a dilated thorax and a transverse band of light blue spots on each abdominal segment. Pupae: Pupae have a brown dorsal band and a dark brown or black lateral stripe. The eastern tiger swallowtail is a large species, with wingspan measurements ranging from 7.9 to 14.0 cm. Adults have four black stripes on their front wings and are yellow overall. The black wing edges have a row of yellow dots on them. Host plant: Many species of trees and shrubs in at least seven families are used as hosts. Territory: The eastern tiger swallowtail is widely spread from New England west through the southern Great Lakes area, and the majority of Great Plains states and south to Texas and Florida. Damages caused by Eastern Tiger Swallowtail: Chewed leaves are trimmed at the petioles and fall off the plant, presumably to diminish the attractiveness of parasitoids drawn to volatile compounds emitted by chewed leaves or to prevent predation by birds that identify prey by looking for damaged leaves. Larvae use their mandibles to throw their frass. This action may make predators or parasitoids less visible.When full-grown larvae stop eating, their color changes to greenish-brown or chocolate-brown, and they move down tree trunks, generally onto the leaf litter, where they are very cryptic. They frequently pupate on the undersides of twigs or the ground’s decaying leaves. The pupa is the overwintering stage of the insect. Life history and Habits: There are two flights in the northern portion of the range, and in Florida, there are at least three and four flights. In Florida, the first flight takes off in late February or early March. Adults visit several flowers in search of nectar. They also drink clay minerals and water. Males frequently patrol the treetops and fly down to catch females for mating. Single eggs are often placed on the top surface of leaves. Incubating larvae frequently consume their eggshells. A tiny amount of yolk is still present in Lepidoptera eggs caught between two embryonic membranes that are still present in the egg shells after hatching. The larva’s initial food is the remaining egg. This activity may also make them less visible to potential predators drawn to the empty eggshell. The margins of a leaf curl upward as larvae spin a mat of silk on it, but they do not fully roll the leaf. On the silken pad, the larva snoozes. Larvae in their mid to late-instars wander from their resting location to different areas of the plant to eat, then return to the silken mat to rest.