Species Spotlight: Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly
Looks Like: The Spicebush swallowtail is mostly black with ivory spots. The hindwing has elongated “tails” and orange spots. Females have a bluish sheen, and males have a bluish-green “scales.”
Lives In: Woods and woodland edges, fields, and swamps.
Niche: The caterpillar will eat mainly Spicebush and white sassafras, and can sometimes be found on other plants. Adult butterflys will feed on nectar from milkweed, jewelweed, thistles, among other plants. Many creatures predate on the Spicebush swallowtail, including birds, spiders, and dragonflies.
Threats: Loss of habitat and food sources due to development.
Frequency: Common in the Shawangunks
Reproduction: Males patrol their habitat for receptive females, who will lay a single egg on the underside of plant leaves after mating. The cycle from egg to adult takes about six weeks.
Fun Facts: The Spicebush swallowtail avoids predators through mimicry — as an adult they look like the toxic Pipevine swallowtail.
