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Eurytides marcellus
Zebra Swallowtail
Pawpaw Butterfly
Ajax
Florida native
Zebra swallowtails can be found in most of Florida and much of the eastern United States where pawpaws are found. They are most common in the southeast. Florida has many flights from March to December and farther north there are only two flights per year from May through August.
This is a large distinctive butterfly with black and white stripes and long 'tails' on the hindwings. Butterflies of the early season flight are smaller and lighter in color than the late season flight.
The larvae is widest near the front where there is a bold tri-colored band - blue-white in front, then black, then yellow towards the rear. The body is ringed with much fainter narrow green, white, blue, yellow and/or black bands. There is also sometimes a larval form that is all black.
Host plants are exclusively pawpaws, all species of the genus Asimina.
Eurytides marcellus is a member of the Papilionidae - Swallowtails family.
For more information on this species, visit the following link:
BugGuide.net page for this species
Date record last modified: Apr 16, 2020
