Butterflies of North Carolina

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Scientific Name begins with:
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Once on a species account page, clicking on the "View PDF" link will show the flight data for that species, for each of the three regions of the state.
Other information, such as high counts and earliest/latest dates, can also been seen on the PDF page.

Related Species in PAPILIONIDAE:
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Common Name

Black Swallowtail by Nancy Baldwin => female, Yancey Co.
[View PDF]

Click to enlarge
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Scientific Name

Papilio polyxenes

Link to BAMONA species account.

Map

Click on a county for list of all database records for the species in that county.

Distribution

DISTRIBUTION: Statewide; found in all provinces, and undoubtedly occurs in all counties.

Abundance

ABUNDANCE: Overall, uncommon to fairly common. Somewhat more numerous near the coast than elsewhere, and it may be common locally in some tidewater sites. Despite it being considered a common butterfly in the Eastern United States, it is not a common butterfly in NC. Interestingly, caterpillars are often seen on garden plants (in the umbel family), but adults seldom seem to be numerous.

Flight

FLIGHT PERIOD: Early or mid-March to mid-October; rarely to early November, with a few records until the end of December. There are apparently three broods, but the species has a continuous flight period, with no gaps in the flight season. In the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, abundance peaks in July and August.

Habitat

HABITAT: This species likes open country and is seldom seen in forests or even along forest edges. It prefers old fields, meadows, marshes, savannas, gardens, and other open places.

See also Habitat Account for General Successional Fields and Forblands

Plants

FOOD AND NECTAR PLANTS: Foodplants are species in the umbel family, such as Queen-Anne's-Lace (Daucus carota); both native and introduced species are used. Adults nectar on many species, such as milkweeds (Asclepias spp.).

Comments

COMMENTS: This can be a difficult species to identify. First, it has a very rapid and erratic flight, making it difficult to identify on the wing. Second, it can be confused with Spicebush, Pipevine, Palamedes, and female Eastern Tiger swallowtails unless seen well when perched. This identification problem may account for its relative uncommonness -- many blackish swallowtails seen flying by the observer must be left unidentified, and it is suspected that a fair percentage of these are Blacks. Even so, it is not nearly as numerous as the Eastern Tiger, Spicebush, and Palamedes swallowtails in NC.

This is one of the few species as familiar to butterfly gardeners as to field biologists. In some areas, Black Swallowtails are most easily found in yards and gardens, thanks to plantings of non-native foodplants such as Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and Garden Parsley (Petroselinum crispum).

State Rank

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Other Name

Links to other butterfly galleries: [Cook] [Lynch] [Pippen] [Pugh]
Photo Gallery for Black Swallowtail
	Photo by: Signa Williams Comment: Preparing to pupate Black Swallowtail - Click to enlarge	Photo by: Joe Lafferty Comment: 2017-07-11. Brunswick Co. Black Swallowtail - Click to enlarge
	Photo by: Will Stuart Comment: July 1, 2020. Anson Co. male Black Swallowtail - Click to enlarge	Photo by: Will Stuart Comment: July 1, 2020. Anson Co. female Black Swallowtail - Click to enlarge
	Photo by: David L. Heavner Comment: 14 July 2013. Surry County. male Black Swallowtail - Click to enlarge	Photo by: W. Cook Comment: Mating pair, Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area, Orange Co., NC on 10-Apr-2005. Black Swallowtail - Click to enlarge
	Photo by: Floyd Williams Comment: Gates Co., Merchants Millpond State Park - male Black Swallowtail - Click to enlarge