Gardens with Wings

What Butterflies Can I Attract to My Garden?

Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)

beautiful black and blue butterfly feeding on verbena
Male Pipevine Swallowtail
Copyright: Fred Miller

This tailed beauty has a shiny blue body and white spots on the upper side of the hind wings. The blue underneath the hindwings encircles one row of orange colors. These swift fliers are usually low to the ground and do not stay at one flower for a long time. They enjoy open wooded areas and forest edges.

The chrysalis resembles dried leaves, so they are well camouflaged. They are either brown and tan or yellow and green, depending on their pupate location. They overwinter as pupa and are amazing creatures to welcome into your garden.

See the Pipevine Swallowtail Caterpillar on the move to find a safe place to pupate.

Pipevine Swallowtail Life Cycle

red round eggs on pipevine plant
Round Red Eggs
Copyright: Fred Miller
many red caterpillars next to each other
Red Caterpillars on Leaf
Copyright: Fred Miller
red long pipevine caterpillar
Full-grown Red Larva
Copyright: Regina Cutter Edwards
black larva with red spots
Black Caterpillar with Red Spots
Copyright: Regina Cutter Edwards
two red pipevine larva feeding on stem
Feeding on Pinevine Stem
Copyright: Fred Miller
several black caterpillars crawling on leaf
Caterpillars Eating Leaf
Copyright: Patty Bigner
large black pipevine caterpillar
Black Caterpillar with Red Spots
Copyright: Regina Cutter Edwards
pupating caterpillar next to chrysalis
Pupating Next to Chrysalis
Copyright: Fred Miller
two tan pipevine swallowtail chrysalis
Chrysalises Side by Side
Copyright: Fred Miller
green chrysalis camouflage by green plant
Green Chrysalis Camouflage by Plant
Copyright: Fred Miller
tan-brown Chrysalis
Brown Chrysalis
Copyright: Fred Miller
brown butterfly chrysalis hanging from silk girdle
Brown Chrysalis Camouflage on Wood
Copyright: Fred Miller
black bottom wings with yellow and blue markings
Male Underside Wing
Copyright: Fred Miller
butterfly wings weathered
Butterfly Wings Old and Worn
Copyright: Zina Flippen
dark version of a pipevine swallowtail
Black Female Butterfly
Copyright: Fred Miller
pipevine swallowtail drying wings
Recently Emerged
Copyright: Fred Miller

Pipevine Swallowtail Host and Nectar Plants

Host Plants for the Pipevine Swallowtail: (What is this?)
Pipevine
Nectar Plants for the Pipevine Swallowtail: (What is this?)
Butterfly Bush, Coneflowers, Lantana, Mexican Sunflowers, Swamp Milkweed, Tall Verbena, and more
Where to Buy Plants

Pipevine Swallowtail Facts And Information

Butterfly Family: Swallowtails & Parnassians (Papilionidae)
Butterfly Subfamily: Swallowtail (Papilioninae)
Butterfly Wingspan: 2 3/4 in. to 5 in.
Butterfly Habitat: Open wooded areas, forests
Similar To: Red-spotted Purple

Pipevine Swallowtail Flight Range Map

Note: Map represents approximate butterfly flight range.

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