Black Swallowtail Butterfly Life Cycle Photo Gallery by spicebush at pbase.com

Black Swallowtail Butterfly Life Cycle

Photos of the life cycle of the the Black Swallowtail Butterfly: Egg, Caterpillar, Chrysalis
The caterpillars eat plants in the carrot family, celery, dill, fennel, parsley, Queen Anne's lace.

Click on >>SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLIES at the top of the page to view the life cycles of the tiger swallowtail, spicebush swallowtail, and the pipevine swallowtail butterflies. If you want to view photos of other butterflies that you can see in Pennsylvania, click on >> "Butterflies in Your (Pennsylvania) Back Yard" at the top of the page.

Black Swallowtail Eggs on Fennel	Black Swallowtail Caterpillar	Black Swallowtail Caterpillar Eating Fennel	Caterpillar on Queen Anne's Lace
Black Swallowtail Caterpillar on Queen Anne's Lace	Black Swallowtail Caterpillar	Pupating	Black Swallowtail Chrysalis
Ready to Emerge	Just Emerged

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Guest		18-Aug-2008 05:11
For the past four summers, I have been collecting & raising Monarch caterpillars from numerous milkweed patches around my town, but was surprised and delighted today to come across, for the very first time, two different caterpillars I had never seen before. I had always known that some type of butterfly used Queen Anne's Lace as a host plant, but did not remember what it was, or what exactly to look for, so had never really bothered seeking them out, although the plant is absolutely profuse in many of the same locations where I search for milkweed. Today, when I was turning over milkweed leaves in search of Monarch eggs and larvae, I happened upon the first mysterious stranger on a stem of nearby Queens Anne's Lace, and I knew I had come across one of the unknown caterpillars whose name still escaped me. Before I left that particular meadow, I had come across a second, larger specimin as well. I put both of them in my bucket-full of milkweed leaves and Monarch babies, threw in several stems and leaves of Queen Anne's Lace, and drove on home. It wasn't until a bit later, after searching the internet, that I knew for sure that I had two black swallowtail caterpillars. I found a small, long-unused aquarium that I scrubbed out, went out into my garden and broke off two fat stalks of Italian flat-leafed parsley,and introduced my two new houseguests to their new accomadations. The larger of the two fairly raced for the parsley and started immediately chomping away at it, but the smaller guy is still on its original stem of Queen Anne's Lace. I really don't know very much about raising these guys, so if anyone has any helpful info for me it would be much appreciated.

sarah		11-Aug-2008 13:15
How long is the life cycle of the black swallowtail caterpillar, from caterpillar to chrysalis? I have raised them before, but am unsure how many days until they pupate? Thanks

Guest		25-Jul-2008 16:22
Do the caterpillars overwinter before emerging as the butterfly? If so, how? Karen in OH

Dawn		19-Jul-2008 02:16
I just noticed the caterpillars on my dill this evening. I want to photograph them daily to see what all happens. I can't wait!

marie		05-Jul-2008 20:35
I had about 18 of the black swallowtail caterpillars on my parsley plant. They almost eat every bit of it before turning into chrysalis. Now at least one beautiful black swallowtail butterfly emerges everyday. What a treat

Gwenda		18-Mar-2008 12:21
I wintered five of these in my laundry room. Was surprised to see one had emerged yesterday. I'm afraid to let it go ... it's 40-50 degrees here... drops at night. I've searched for flowers and put them in. Anything else I can do? Gwenda in N.C.

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