20 Tiger Swallowtail Fun Facts
In one of my articles, we discussed the biology of the eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly and how you can create a natural habitat for them in your home garden, however, we will be looking at some fun facts about this butterfly that have caught the attention of so many people. The eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly is very beautiful and will fill your garden with its many colors as they move about collecting nectar. Here are the fun facts that you will find to be very interesting.
Tiger Swallowtail
Fun facts about these amazing butterflies as we enter their world.
1. The eggs of the eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly resemble birds dropping which is a great disguise to protect them from predators, once the egg hatches the larva of the caterpillar has two spots or markings that look like eyes. These spots or fake eyes trick the predators into thinking that the caterpillar is a much larger prey and scares them away.
2. This butterfly can live anywhere from two weeks to a month.
3. During its short life span the eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly lays up to 250 eggs.
4. The female lays her eggs singly on the different host plants.
5. If eaten by dogs the eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly is poisonous, if your dog consumes one of them they will not die but it will make them sick. Because the small among of toxins that are ingested by the swallowtail butterfly from the milkweed plant will give your dog an upset stomach.
6. The natural enemies of the eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly are hawks, woodpeckers, hornets, flycatchers, raccoons, blackbirds, possums, and squirrels.
7. The tiger swallowtail butterfly grows to about 5.5 centimeters (2.2 in).
9. Their eggs are large green and smooth.
10. These butterflies are active and can be mostly seen in the wild from February to November.
11. They get their name from the tail-like extension on the hindwings.
12. The tiger swallowtail butterfly has a long black body that is thin, two pairs of large wings, one pair of antennas on top of its head, and three pairs of legs.
13. The tiger swallowtail butterfly is one of the most familiar butterflies in the eastern United States.
14. The male swallowtail seeks out females by patrolling habitats containing the larval host plant.
15. The caterpillar has five instars.
16. The young tiger swallowtail butterfly appears to have white and brown wings.
17. As the caterpillar grows it turns an apple green with a tiny shiny blue head.
18. The tiger swallowtail is known to be solitary but can be found at times in a group puddling.
19. The chrysalis stage lasts nine to eleven days, or overwinter hibernating.
20. During courtship the male and female fly about each other prior to landing and mating.
The final word on eastern tiger swallowtail fun facts
These are some awesome fun facts about the eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly, so the next time you see them in your garden or in the park just remember these amazing facts that make these butterflies so popular among the many butterfly species.
Newsletter
Signup Today for Our Newsletter to Receive Up to Date Information on Herbs and Other Gardening News in the Industry.
About the author
Norman loves being in the garden, both at home and for his job....
he is 'Natures Little helper' being outdoors, growing his vegetables and flowers from an early age.
Now having spent over 22 years in the profession he want to give some of his knowledge to others...
his vast array of hints and tips you will find scattered over this site will help you no end growing plants in your garden.
Hey Norman,
Great article on the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly! I thought a lot of the facts listed were unique and interesting like how it can lay 250 eggs during its short lifespan and the whole bird droppings thing is crazy! Just shows how smart mother nature is that it could think to disguise butterfly eggs as bird poop.
Thank you so much for your kind words, these are some amazing facts about the eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly. I am so happy that I could help.
Hi Norman
You certainly know alot about the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly. I must admit that I do not have alot of knowledge about butterflys as a whole. However, I do know that they are prevalent during the warmer months and are found around flowers and fruit. They also seem to add to the ambience of a place and everyone loves them.
I recently moved into a new home and have yet to get started with my new garden. It would be lovely if my new garden turned out to be a butterfly sanctuary.
Thank you for the article.
Thank you so much, butterflies are so beautiful and will brighten up a garden with their colors along with adding so much activity. Once you plant in your garden what beautifies likes as far as a food source (plants that attract them) they will come. Hope this helps.
Hey great article! I love nature and butterflies are beautiful. They’re fascinating how they go from being a caterpillar into a beautiful delicate creature just by being inside a cacoon.
They are some interesting facts! They actually lay that many eggs! Wow! I’m wondering if the tiger swallowtail butterfly resides in the UK, would love to look out for them!
Thank you so much for your kind words, these butterflies are beautiful, I a so happy to help.