Black Swallowtail – 5/6/23

Observer: Paul Lauenstein

Observation Date: 5/6/23

Observation Time: 9:45 a.m.

Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary

Common Name: Black Swallowtail butterfly

Scientific Name: Papilio polyxenes

Comments: I was surprised to see this black swallowtail butterfly so early in the season. It was feeding on the blossoms of a flowering tree near the barn on the Billings Loop.

Black swallowtail butterflies look a lot like spicebush swallowtail butterflies. You can learn how to tell the difference between a black swallowtail and a spicebush swallowtail at: http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabambc/frames-2species.asp?sp1=Papilio-polyxenes&sp2=Papilio-troilus

There is also a good discussion of how to tell the differences among four black butterfly species at: http://louisiananaturalist.blogspot.com/2009/06/four-dark-swallowtails.html

More Information: Butterflies and Moths of North America