![]() Some larvae will eat other caterpillars found on the same plant. The common food plants for the larvae are the pawpaw and dwarf pawpaw. The zebra swallowtail rarely strays away from the habitats where various species of pawpaw are found. Its flight has been described as bat-like and erratic. The zebra swallowtail flies near the ground using shallow wingbeats. ( Holland, 1910 Parenti, 1972 Tveten and Tveten, 1996) ( Holland, 1910 Parenti, 1972 Tveten and Tveten, 1996)Īn adult Eurytides marcellus butterfly can live up to 6 months in its natural environment. ( Holland, 1910 Parenti, 1972 Tveten and Tveten, 1996)įemale zebra swallowtails lay their eggs singly on the underside of pawpaw leaves. Small aggregations of patrolling males often form close to mud puddles or moist stream banks. Males usually patrol places near host plants searching for females. The chrysalis, or pupa, is attached to a stem or leaf by the tail and by a girdle of silk around the thorax. In the life cycle of the butterfly, it takes about one month for the zebra swallowtail to mature from an egg to an adult. Range wingspan 5 to 9 cm 1.97 to 3.54 in.The first is green with yellow and black bands, and the other is dark brown with orange and white bands. There are two color morphologies of caterpillars. This releases a bad smell that is used as defense mechanism. They have a forked gland called the osmeterium that can protrude from the back of the head if the butterfly is alarmed. The hindwings of both the spring and summer zebra swallowtail have two deep blue spots at the base and a red spot closer to the body.Ĭaterpillars are generally hairless. The summer zebra swallowtail is larger with light blue-green wings, which are crossed by black stripes and bands, and have longer tails. The early spring zebra swallowtail is smaller with pale greenish-white wings which are crossed by black stripes and bands. ![]() ![]() The color and size varies between spring and summer butterflies. It has long, triangular wings with swordlike tails. The zebra swallowtail butterfly has a wing span of 5-9 cm. The zebra swallowtail prefers corridors of wooded land alongside bodies of water such as riversides, lakeshores, marshes and open moist woods. Reveal, 'Identification of the plants and animals illustrated by Mark Catesby for his Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands' in Phytoneuron 2013 and revised online version.Eurytides marcellus range throughout the eastern United States, although are most abundant in the southeast. Gronovius of Leyden, who was pleased some years since to honour me, though undeservedly, with the title of this genus, obliges me not to suppress it.'įor identification of the species depicted see James L. In the accompanying text, Catesby noted 'It is no without reluctancy, that I here exhibit a Plant with my own Name annexed to it but the regard and obligations I owe to my learned friend, Dr. The watercolour was used as the basis for plate 100 in the second volume of the Natural History. The original drawings from the volumes, which had been in the possession of Catesby’s widow until her death, were purchased by George III from the London bookseller Thomas Cadell in 1768. The first volume was dedicated to Queen Caroline, the second to Augusta, Princess of Wales. ![]() On his return to Britain, his drawings were reproduced in The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, which appeared in a series of volumes between 17. There, he made numerous drawings of the flora and fauna, working hard to ensure that his depictions were as helpful for an understanding of their subjects as possible. In London his drawings of birds and plants met with praise and a group of benefactors paid for his travel to Carolina in 1722. Catesby spent seven years in Virginia collecting specimens and seeds for London buyers before returning to Britain. In 1712, he travelled to the east coast of America with his sister Elizabeth, who had married a doctor who practised in Williamsburg, Virginia. Mark Catesby was born in Suffolk and was interested in natural history from an early age. The butterflies are painted onto separate sheets of paper which have been cut out and pasted to the drawing. A watercolour of a prickly apple ( Catesbaea spinosa L.) with two zebra swallowtail butterflies ( Protographium marcellus (Cramer)).
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