Black Swallowtail

The Black Swallowtail is a large, easily recognizable, and common butterfly found throughout much of North America. They are likely to be found in a variety of open areas including fields, suburbs, marshes, deserts, and roadsides.

Photo Credit: John Blair

  • Angelica – Angelica spp

    • Hairy angelica (Angelica venenosa)

    • Purplestem angelica (Angelica atropurpurea)

    Flax – Linum spp;

    • Stiff yellow flax (Linum medium var. texanum)

    • Woodland flax (Linum virginianum)

    Golden Alexanders - (Zizia aurea)

    Honewort - Cryptotaenia canadensis

    Hairyjoint Meadowparsnip (Thaspium barbinode)

    Rattlesnake Master – (Eryngium yuccifolium)

    Sweetroot – Osmorhiza spp;

    • Sweet Cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii),

    • Aniseroot (Osmorhiza longistylis)

    Yellow pimpernel (Taenidia integerrima)

    Water Cowbane – Oxypolis filiformis

    Water Hemlock – Cicuta spp;

    • Bulblet-bearing water hemlock (Cicuta bulbifera),

    • Spotted water hemlock (Cicuta maculata var. maculata)

    Native plants that are listed are ones that are native to our area, the list is not exhaustive

  • Carrot – Daucus carota var. sativa

    Celery – Apium graveolens spp

    Common Rue – Ruta graveolens

    Dill – Anethum graveolens

    Fennel – Foeniculum vulgare spp

    Mock Bishop Weed – Ptilimnium capillaceum

    Parsley – Petroselinum crispum sp

    Queen Anne’s Lace – Daucus carota

    Wild Parsnip – Pastinaca sativa

  • Can be found puddling

    Aster, Azalea (Rhododendron groenlandicum), Blazing Star, Blue Mistflower, Phlox, Indian Blanket, Milkweed, Monarda, Purple Coneflower, Spirea, Sweet William, Thistle

  • Brazilian Verbena, Butterfly Bush (make sure you use a sterile variety), Chives, Clover, Hyssop, Zinnia

  • April-October. Two broods each year, last brood overwinters and will not emerge until spring

  • Butterflies and Moths of North America. Butterfliesandmoths.org

    Brenda Dziedzic, Raising Butterflies in the Garden

    Heather Holm, Pollinators of Native Plants

    National Wildlife Federation. Nwf.org

    Xerces Society. Xerces.org