Edited by Erich Bauer and Thomas Frankenbach Keltern: Goecke & Evers Canterbury: Hillside Books.
A red stripe runs along the middle of the ventral hindwing. The inner margin of the hindwing has two blue spots on the corner and a red spot near the body. A pair of swordlike tails extend from the hindwings. The triangular wings are white to greenish white with black longitudinal stripes. The identification chart below compares the colors and features of these common dark-colored Swallowtail butterflies as seen in ventral views.The zebra swallowtail has a wingspan of 6.4 to 10.4 cm (2.5 to 4.1 in). These include the Eastern Black Swallowtail, Spicebush Swallowtail, Pipevine Swallowtail, and the dark form of the Tiger Swallowtail. Several members of the Swallowtail family are dark-colored, and have very similar appearances at first glance. The identification chart below compares the colors and features of common Swallowtail butterflies using their dorsal views.ĭark-Colored Swallowtail Butterfly Comparison Chart Swallowtail Butterfly Identification Chart Shown below are photographs of several common Swallowtail butterflies to aid in identification.
Several species of Swallowtails are predominantly black, and share similar yellow, blue and orange markings. However, some, like the Indra and Polydamus, do not have tails. These tail-like appendages resemble the tails of swallow family of birds, hence their name. Most of these large, brightly colored butterflies feature tails on their hind wings. This magnificent family (Papilionidae) of large butterflies is loved by many, and includes more than 600 species worldwide. Swallowtail Butterfly Identification and Comparison