Welcome to part two of my caterpillar food plant series (the first of which was on Saturniidae moth food plants seen HERE).  For this entry I am focusing on the five species of Swallowtail butterflies (family Papilionidae) from New England. This list does not include strays; only species that can be found in this area normally. The Papilionidae, numbering over 700 species worldwide, are among our largest and most spectacular of butterflies!

EASTERN BLACK SWALLOWTAIL – Papilio polyxenes asterius

Carrot (Daucus), dill (Anetheum), fennel (Foeniculum), parsley (Petroselinum), Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus), rue (Ruta).

EASTERN TIGER SWALLOWTAIL – Papilio glaucus

Ash (Fraxinus), lilac (Syringa), spicebush (Lindera), sweet bay (Magnolia), tulip tree (Liriodendron), wafer ash (Ptelea), wild cherry (Prunus).

GIANT SWALLOWTAIL – Papilio cresphontes

Citrus (Rutaceae), prickly ash (Zanthoxylum), rue (Ruta), torchwood (Amyris), wafer ash (Ptelea).

PIPEVINE SWALLOWTAIL – Battus philenor

Pipevine…aka Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia).

SPICEBUSH SWALLOWTAIL – Papilio troilus

Prickly ash (Zanthoxylum), redbay (Persea), sassafras (Sassafras), spicebush (Lindera), tulip tree (Liriodendron).

~David Albaugh