
Once swallowtail caterpillars complete their growth and enter the pupal stage, they undergo metamorphosis inside the pupa (chrysalis) and eventually emerge as butterflies. What do swallowtail butterfly caterpillars eat after they turn into a butterfly? However, there are some rare instances in which cannibalism might occur, but these instances are usually related to scarcity of food or other unusual circumstances. Swallowtail caterpillars typically do not eat each other as a regular part of their behavior. The caterpillar might feed on other plants in the carrot family, such as parsley and dill.ĭo Swallowtail Caterpillars Eat Each Other?

These include parsley, dill, fennel, and Queen Anne’s lace.Ģ. Host Plants: Plants in the carrot family (Apiaceae) are commonly used by Eastern Black Swallowtail caterpillars.Eastern Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes): Different species of swallowtail butterflies have different host plant food sources, and these plants are essential for the caterpillars’ growth and development.ġ. They have specific host plants on which they feed during their caterpillar stage. Swallowtail caterpillars are the larvae of butterflies belonging to the family Papilionidae. What do swallowtail caterpillars eat: The Details How do you raise a swallowtail caterpillar?.What are the characteristics of swallowtail caterpillars?.What do swallowtail butterfly caterpillars eat after they turn into a butterfly?.Do Swallowtail Caterpillars Eat Each Other?.What do swallowtail caterpillars eat: The Details.

Host plants used by the Zebra Swallowtail include ommon Pawpaw and Dwarf Pawpaw.įavorite nectar plants are Milkweed, Cosmos, Sweet William, and Zinnia. Nectar and Host Plants Used by the Zebra Swallowtail It prefers to stay in moist wood habitats that support the pawpaw, and is not often found on cleared lands. It ranges throughout the eastern United States, but is found more often in the southern states.

Its wingspan is in the Size: 2.5" - 4.0" range. Its distinctive wing shape and long tails make it easy to identify, and its black and white-striped pattern is reminiscent of a zebra. The Zebra Swallowtail ( Protographium marcellus) is a beautiful butterfly welcomed in any landscape or garden.
