Attributes of Papilio glaucus
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus Linnaeus, 1758
Family: Papilionidae
Subfamily: Papilioninae
Identification: Male is yellow with dark tiger stripes. Female has 2 forms: one yellow like the male and the other black with shadows of dark stripes. Hindwing of both female forms has a row of striking blue chevrons and an iridescent blue wash over parts of the interior hindwing. The upperside hindwing has a prominent orange marginal spot that is generally larger than the row of pale marginal spots. On the underside of forewing of spring individuals the row of marginal spots may be merged into a continuous band, thus appearing similar to the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail.
Wing Span: 2 1/2 - 4 1/2 inches (6.2 - 11.4 cm).
Life History: Two broods in the north, three in the south. Males patrol for receptive females. Females lay eggs singly on host leaves. Caterpillars eat leaves and rest on silken mats on the upper surface of leaves. Chrysalids overwinter.
Flight: 3 flights from February-November in Deep South; 2 flights from May-September in north.
Caterpillar Hosts: Leaves of various plants including wild cherry (Prunus), sweetbay (Magnolia), basswood (Tilia), tulip tree (Liriodendron), birch (Betula), ash (Fraxinus), cottonwood (Populus), mountain ash (Sorbus), and willow (Salix).
Adult Food: Nectar of flowers from a variety of plants including wild cherry and lilac (Syringa vulgaris). Milkweed (Asclepias) and Joe-Pye Weed [Eupatorium] are favorites in summer.
Habitat: Deciduous broadleaf woods, forest edges, river valleys, parks, and suburbs.
Range: Eastern North America from Ontario south to Gulf coast, west to Colorado plains and central Texas.
Conservation: Not required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None noted.
Taxonomy Notes:
The map below displays all verified sighting records in the BAMONA database for this species. Each record is indicated with a yellow dot. The orange dots on the map provide access to information about the 400 most recently verified sightings of this species. In some instances, there are several records at the same location. Use the table view to access these records.
Instructions: Click on the map and move your mouse to pan.
Zoom by using the plus [+] and minus [-] on the left side of the map.
To change which map layers are displayed, click on the plus sign [+] on the right side of the map.
The fifty most recently verified sightings are below. See more recently verified sightings of all species.
| Observation Date | Submitter | Region |
Verified Date |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
May 10, 2013 | Ken Cheeks | Aiken County, South Carolina, United States | May 19, 2013 | Details |
| May 09, 2013 | John Many Wings | Frederick County, Maryland, United States | May 15, 2013 | Details | |
|
|
March 31, 2013 | Ken Cheeks | Columbia County, Georgia, United States | May 13, 2013 | Details |
|
|
May 08, 2013 | KristyBaker | Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States | May 11, 2013 | Details |
| May 05, 2013 | treichard | Montgomery County, Maryland, United States | May 10, 2013 | Details | |
|
|
May 07, 2013 | mrcnaturally | Westchester County, New York, United States | May 08, 2013 | Details |
|
|
April 21, 2013 | jawinget | Monroe County, Illinois, United States | May 06, 2013 | Details |
| May 01, 2013 | CA Ivy | Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States | May 03, 2013 | Details | |
|
|
April 27, 2013 | tomfishburn | Hocking County, Ohio, United States | May 01, 2013 | Details |
| May 01, 2013 | CA Ivy | Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States | May 01, 2013 | Details | |
|
|
April 25, 2013 | CA Ivy | Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States | April 25, 2013 | Details |
|
|
April 09, 2013 | von40827 | Leslie County, Kentucky, United States | April 23, 2013 | Details |
|
|
April 15, 2013 | von40827 | Leslie County, Kentucky, United States | April 23, 2013 | Details |
|
|
April 16, 2013 | von40827 | Leslie County, Kentucky, United States | April 23, 2013 | Details |
| April 22, 2013 | von40827 | Leslie County, Kentucky, United States | April 23, 2013 | Details | |
|
|
May 19, 2010 | matthew300 | Chautauqua County, New York, United States | April 21, 2013 | Details |
|
|
April 21, 2013 | Torkiegrl | Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States | April 21, 2013 | Details |
| April 20, 2013 | CA Ivy | Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, United States | April 20, 2013 | Details | |
|
|
March 30, 2013 | Nancee Cobb | Bay County, Florida, United States | April 17, 2013 | Details |
|
|
April 07, 2013 | Ken Cheeks | Edgefield County, South Carolina, United States | April 17, 2013 | Details |
| April 16, 2013 | CA Ivy | Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States | April 16, 2013 | Details | |
|
|
March 10, 2013 | Terry W. Johnson | Monroe County, Georgia, United States | April 15, 2013 | Details |
|
|
April 05, 2013 | Mike Stinson | Buckingham County, Virginia, United States | April 13, 2013 | Details |
| April 09, 2013 | Nymphalis antiopa | Lunenburg County, Virginia, United States | April 13, 2013 | Details | |
|
|
April 13, 2013 | A C | St Marys County, Maryland, United States | April 13, 2013 | Details |
| April 12, 2013 | CA Ivy | Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States | April 12, 2013 | Details | |
|
|
April 11, 2013 | CA Ivy | Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States | April 11, 2013 | Details |
| April 09, 2013 | CA Ivy | Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States | April 10, 2013 | Details | |
|
|
August 12, 2011 | jeaneley | Shawnee County, Kansas, United States | April 05, 2013 | Details |
|
|
July 31, 2011 | catharinejo | Jackson County, Kansas, United States | April 05, 2013 | Details |
| August 01, 2011 | wingsofnight87 | Johnson County, Kansas, United States | April 05, 2013 | Details | |
| August 28, 2012 | jcbolen | Johnson County, Kansas, United States | April 05, 2013 | Details | |
| April 05, 2013 | CA Ivy | Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States | April 05, 2013 | Details | |
|
|
June 28, 2007 | Wendell Hise | Logan County, Arkansas, United States | March 27, 2013 | Details |
|
|
June 06, 2012 | WestCoastLady | Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States | March 18, 2013 | Details |
|
|
March 17, 2013 | Lori L Pike | Cherokee County, Texas, United States | March 18, 2013 | Details |
|
|
February 28, 2008 | stomlins701 | Gonzales County, Texas, United States | March 14, 2013 | Details |
| February 25, 2013 | jjflossem | Hernando County, Florida, United States | March 09, 2013 | Details | |
|
|
July 12, 1972 | stomlins701 | Bexar County, Texas, United States | March 04, 2013 | Details |
|
|
May 04, 1972 | stomlins701 | Bexar County, Texas, United States | March 04, 2013 | Details |
|
|
September 02, 1973 | stomlins701 | Bexar County, Texas, United States | March 04, 2013 | Details |
|
|
July 23, 1972 | stomlins701 | Bexar County, Texas, United States | March 04, 2013 | Details |
|
|
February 08, 2013 | suedavies28 | Orange County, Florida, United States | February 13, 2013 | Details |
| January 29, 2013 | stomlins701 | Leon County, Florida, United States | February 11, 2013 | Details | |
| April 18, 2012 | birdlover53 | Calhoun County, Michigan, United States | January 30, 2013 | Details | |
| May 03, 2012 | birdlover53 | Calhoun County, Michigan, United States | January 30, 2013 | Details | |
|
|
September 05, 2012 | SandrGayle | Powell County, Kentucky, United States | January 16, 2013 | Details |
|
|
August 09, 2012 | SandrGayle | Powell County, Kentucky, United States | January 16, 2013 | Details |
|
|
July 12, 2012 | KAStilwell | Arlington County, Virginia, United States | January 12, 2013 | Details |
| July 15, 2012 | pkafer | Passaic County, New Jersey, United States | January 12, 2013 | Details |



























