Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)

In the Carolinas, this is one of the most recognized and commonly seen species. Interestingly, the "ground color" in E. Tiger Swallowtail is dark, hence the yellow markings are actually the "stripes" on a dark background, rather than dark stripes on yellow! In central NC, about 50% of the females are "dark" type and about 50% are "yellow" type. Dark types are always females and males are always yellow. And females have more blue in the hindwing than the males. Got all that?

Male
Macon Co., NC
12 May 2006

	"Puddle Party" of males Durham Co., NC 20 Aug 2005


Female, nectaring on Carphephorus odoratissimus Craven Co., NC 27 Aug 2006	Female, nectaring on Carphephorus odoratissimus Craven Co., NC 27 Aug 2006


Graham Co., NC 1 May 2004	Haywood Co., NC 13 May 2005


Male Orange Co., NC 20 Apr 2006	Orange Co., NC 15 Jun 2006


Dark female Nectaring on Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium) Blackwood Division of Duke Forest Orange Co., NC 25 July 2003	Yellow female Nectaring on Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium) Blackwood Division of Duke Forest Orange Co., NC 25 July 2003


Male Orange Co., NC 16 July 2003	Male Tyrell Co., NC 21 June 2003


Female Nectaring on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Orange Co., NC 7 June 2006	Female Nectaring on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Orange Co., NC 7 June 2006

	Female Nectaring on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Orange Co., NC 7 June 2007


Male Nectaring on Fly-poison (Amianthium muscaetoxicum) Great Smoky Mountain National Park Swain Co., NC 4 July 2001	Same individual


Female Nectaring on Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) Watauga Co., NC 27 June 2004	same individual from below

	This interesting dark tiger swallowtail was very large, and the idea of it being an Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail was entertained, however, it is most likely an Eastern Tiger. Macon Co., NC 12 May 2006


Johnston Mill Preserve, Orange Co., NC 12 Sep 2007	Johnston Mill Preserve, Orange Co., NC 12 Sep 2007


Female Durham Co., NC 20 Aug 2005	Haywood Co., NC 15 Apr 2006

This Eastern Tiger Swallowtail's underhindwing is covered with pollen from the Turk's Cap Lily!

Avery Co., NC
26 July 2006

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)

Tiger Swallowtails are fond of Eastern Redbud nectar in the springtime!

Orange Co., NC 4/5/2006

	Nectaring on Eleagnus Haywood Co., NC 15 Apr 2006

Puddle party of Eastern Tigers, Spicebush, and Pipevine Swallowtails on horse poop

Haywood Co., NC
15 Apr 2006

Appalachian and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails

In the spring in the NC mountains, Eastern Tiger Swallowtails (right) are smaller than the very large Applachian Tiger Swallowtails (left).

Clay Co., NC
13 May 2006

Swallowtail puddle party
Graham Co., NC
28 Apr 2006

Swallowtail puddle party
Graham Co., NC
28 Apr 2006

	Early instar caterpillar, probably E. Tiger Swallowtail Carteret Co., NC 26 Aug 2007 This caterpillar is on Magnolia sp. in a pine savannah.
	Early instar caterpillar, probably E. Tiger Swallowtail Carteret Co., NC 26 Aug 2007

North Carolina Butterflies | North American Butterflies | Jeff's Nature Page

Created on ... July 17, 2001 | Updated on ... Mar 12, 2007 | jspippen@duke.edu