Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio appalachiensis (Pavulaan & Wright, 2002)
Family: Papilionidae
Subfamily: Papilioninae
Identification: Similar to Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, but larger. Wings slightly angular and vertical black stripes narrower. Hindwings of males triangular. Underside of forewings with nearly continuous yellow submarginal band. Undersides of hindwings with rectangular submarginal lunules. Female has both yellow and black forms. Both forms with markedly reduced iridescent blue wash on topside of hindwings. The upperside hindwing has a prominent orange marginal spot that is generally smaller than the row of pale marginal spots.
Wing Span: 8.6 - 11.5 cm (3 3/8 - 4 1/2 inches).
Life History: One brood (May–June). Males patrol tree tops in a sailing looping flight looking for females. On mountain summits and ridge tops, males often in hurried flight. Females are extremely elusive, prefering to remain in forest canopy. Females lay eggs singly on host leaves. Caterpillar eats leaves; chrysalids overwinter.
Flight: May-June.
Caterpillar Hosts: Leaves of wild black cherry (Prunus), the only currently known host.
Adult Food: Nectar from a variety of plants including early & pink azalea (Rhododendron), mountain laurel (Kalmia), cockspur thorn (Crataegus), blackberry (Rubus), bush honeysuckle (Diervilla), and multiflora rose (Rosa).
Habitat: Deciduous broadleaf forests of mid-to-high elevations in southern Appalachian Mountains. Seldom strays far from wooded areas.
Range: Southern Appalachian Mountains from Pennsylvania to Georgia, westward to northeast Alabama.
Conservation: Not required.
NCGR: G4/5 – Demonstrably secure; may be rare in lower elevations of its range.
Management Needs: None noted.
Comments: NULL
Get your BAMONA Gear!
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 97 - 120 of 159 verified sightings
Observation date: May 01, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (C. Marks)
Region: Haywood County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 09, 2004
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Fesenmyer)
Region: Madison County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 13, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (HEL,Pippen)
Region: Haywood County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 21, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (S.Garriock)
Region: Swain County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 18, 2001
Submitted by: Harry Pavulaan (Pavulaan)
Region: Jackson County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 11, 2002
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (HEL,Pippen)
Region: Madison County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 28, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (T. Wilcox)
Region: Alleghany County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 27, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Gatrelle)
Region: Clay County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 12, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Krakauer)
Region: Macon County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 09, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (McConnell)
Region: Graham County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 21, 2004
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Gatrelle)
Region: Clay County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 19, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (S.Garriock)
Region: Swain County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 26, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. Mays)
Region: Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 18, 2001
Submitted by: Harry Pavulaan (Pavulaan)
Region: Macon County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 16, 2002
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (R. Gatrelle)
Region: Macon County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 14, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. Mays)
Region: Graham County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 05, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (T. Wilcox)
Region: Ashe County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 13, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (HEL, Pippen)
Region: Clay County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 05, 2002
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (D. Powell)
Region: Avery County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 30, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. Dole)
Region: Haywood County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Apr 20, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (T. Wilcox)
Region: Ashe County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 20, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (S.Garriock)
Region: Swain County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 04, 2001
Submitted by: Harry Pavulaan (Pavulaan)
Region: Haywood County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 06, 2002
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (HEL,Carter)
Region: Swain County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
- ‹ previous
- 5 of 7
- next ›