What do Pipevine Swallowtail eat?
What do they eat? Caterpillars (larvae) eat the leaves and seedpods of the pipevine plant. Adult butterflies feed on a variety of plants for their nectar and may also seek out minerals at puddles.
What does a Pipevine Swallowtail turn into?
Like many insects, California pipevine swallowtails display complete metamorphosis: the egg, an active and hungry caterpillar stage, a pupal stage, and the final adult stage as a butterfly.
What does a Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly look like?
Characteristics, Identifcation and Size. The Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) is black with a single row of pale spots near wing edges. This beautiful butterfly is sometimes called the “Blue Swallowtail”. The male has iridescent blue hind wings, and the female a lighter blue coloring.
Are Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillars poisonous to touch?
“Don’t eat ’em; they’re quite poisonous.” The caterpillars of the Pipevine Swallowtail feed on the poisonous host plant, Aristolochia, also known as the pipevine, Dutchman’s pipe or birthwort. It contains the lethal toxin aristolochic acid. Nevertheless, the black caterpillars turn into beautiful adults.
Are pipevine swallowtails rare?
For centuries, the California pipevine swallowtail — or, Battus philenor hirsuta — called San Francisco home. As development increased in the early 20th century, the butterfly slowly began to disappear. Today it is a rare sight.
How do you attract a pipevine swallowtail?
Try planting native pipevines host plants to draw them in. The pipevine swallowtail seems like a drab black butterfly, until you get a glimpse of the iridescent blue lower wings of the male flashing in the sun. Once you see that, I promise, you’ll be hooked and want to attract this butterfly to your own garden!
Are pipevine swallowtails dangerous?
“Don’t eat ’em; they’re quite poisonous.” Both the caterpillar and the adult are poisonous. The caterpillars of the Pipevine Swallowtail feed on the poisonous host plant, Aristolochia, also known as the pipevine, Dutchman’s pipe or birthwort. It contains the lethal toxin aristolochic acid.
Can you touch a giant swallowtail caterpillar?
One more note about the Black Swallowtail caterpillar: it is safe to humans to hold and touch the caterpillar. The caterpillars can die at any stage but most often at very young instars — they just stop feeding, turn brown and turn into mush. Provide plenty of food to help your caterpillar grow and develop.
Where do pipevine swallowtails live?
Battus philenor, the pipevine swallowtail or blue swallowtail, is a swallowtail butterfly found in North America and Central America. This butterfly is black with iridescent-blue hindwings. They are found in many different habitats, but are most commonly found in forests.
How long does it take for a giant swallowtail caterpillar to turn into a butterfly?
Giant Swallowtail Life Cycle: Stages and Times
| Stage | Typical Duration |
|---|---|
| Egg stage | Generally 4 to 10 days, depending on temperature and host plant |
| Caterpillar (larval) stage | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Chrysalis (pupal) stage | 10 to 20 days (except for overwintering pupae) |
| Adult butterfly stage | 6 to 14 days |
Why did my swallowtail caterpillar die?
It can also be caused by exposure to some pesticides. The digestive tract begins to come out of the caterpillar’s anus. When this happens, the caterpillar will die. It is natural for a chrysalis to be deformed or fail to finish forming properly.
