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Papilionidae (Swallowtails)•Egg to adult: 37 days

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Papilio glaucus

Darwin Core (DwC) Taxonomic Classification

Papilio glaucus Linnaeus, 1758

OrderLepidoptera
FamilyPapilionidae
GenusPapilio
Speciesglaucus

Quick Rearing Snapshot & Biology Overview

Rearing and biology notes for Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Instant Answers
Host Plants

Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana), Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)

Life Cycle Time

~37 Days total (Egg → Butterfly)

Winter Behavior

Pupal Diapause (Does Not Migrate)

Pupation Anchor

Girdle / Twig Sling

Thermal Degree-Day Hatch SimulatorInteractive

Slide ambient temperature to see how heat accelerates metamorphosis for Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

75°F / 24°C
65°F (Cool / Slow)75°F (Optimal Room Temp)85°F (Warm / Fast)
Egg Incubation~5 Days
Larval Instars~18 Days
Chrysalis / Pupa~14 Days
Total Metamorphosis~37 Days

*Calculated via standard insect thermal summation models (base threshold 50°F / 10°C).

PLATE II • FIG. 2B•Taxonomic Plate • ADULT

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Papilio glaucus (Linnaeus, 1758) — Papilionidae • Papilioninae

5 cm Scale
•
Costal Tiger Stripes
•
Marginal Lunule Border
•
Slender Tail Spoons
•
Hindwing Blue Wash
Key Diagnostic Field Identifiers:
  • Brilliant canary-yellow ground color with 4 prominent black tiger bars on forewing costa
  • Wide black marginal border accented with yellow crescent lunules
  • Hindwing inner margin decorated with orange-red anal eyespot and metallic blue scales
  • Long, graceful slender tails extending from vein M3
Sexual Dimorphism Identification:Males are clean yellow with minimal blue on hindwings. Females have a heavy iridescent blue wash over the hindwing, and in southern regions, some females are entirely dark melanic morphs mimicking Battus philenor.
:5 Days
:18 Days
:14 Days
:~37 Days

Larval Host Flora:

Silo 02 Botany

Only supply fresh, pesticide-free foliage from these verified native botanical species:

  • •Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)
  • •Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)
  • •Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
  • •White Ash (Fraxinus americana)

Key Husbandry Tips

Silo 04 Husbandry
  • •Tree branch cuttings dry out fast. Place fresh branch cuttings into floral aquapics with tight rubber grommets so caterpillars cannot fall into the water.
  • •Larvae construct a silk mat across a leaf surface where they rest during the day.
  • •Older instars turn a deep chocolate brown before wandering off the host plant to find a pupation site.

Frequently Asked Questions (Eastern Tiger Swallowtail)

Direct answers to the most common rearing, diet, and metamorphosis questions

Q&A Hub
Metamorphosis typically takes ~37 days from oviposition to adult eclosion at 75°F (24°C).

Master Research Guides for Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Rearing protocols, lifecycle stages, and field husbandry

Field Notes
Husbandry & Pathology

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History & Conservation

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Region: Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Great Lakes & Canada