Pipevine and Spicebush Swallowtail

Pipevine Swallowtails have shimmery, iridescent blue scales that glisten in the sunlight. This is one of our most beautiful butterfly species. 

Pipevine Swallowtails appear to be constantly in motion, rapidly fluttering their wings even while nectaring. They can be quite challenging to photograph. The individual at left was relatively cooperative because he was basking in the sun on a cool autumn day, just after the weather had turned cold. Cooler weather often makes butterflies sluggish and easier to photograph. 

Spicebush Swallowtails are distinctive for their large white (or pale greenish-blue) spots. Notice that the white spots in this Spicebush Swallowtail are larger than those in the Pipevine Swallowtail above. 

This is another Spicebush Swallowtail. You can see a hint of the greenish-blue color in this individual. One of the older common names for this species was the Green Cloud butterfly. 

A Spicebush Swallowtail nectaring at a common teasel flower, with Queen Anne's Lace in the lower left corner. A beautiful butterfly can make even the most ordinary weeds look lovely! 

This is the underside of a Pipevine Swallowtail. The single row of reddish-orange spots is a good field mark. (Similar species, such as the Spicebush Swallowtail and Black Swallowtail, have two rows of reddish-orange spots instead of one.) 

Female Pipevine Swallowtails are usually much darker than the males. They often show little or no blue color. Females look almost solid black, apart from the white spots. 

A pair of Spicebush Swallowtails, female and male, flying together at Twin Creek MetroPark.

Pipevine Swallowtails fly mainly from late April through September (although I have seen stragglers as late as November!)

Pipevine Swallowtails can be found at several locations around the area. Cox Arboretum, Caesar Creek Wildlife Area, Grant Park, and Germantown MetroPark are good places to see them. This one was photographed at Germantown. 

Spicebush Swallowtails are common and widespread in our area. They typically fly from May through September.

This is the underside of a Spicebush Swallowtail's wings. Note that there are two rows of orange spots, as opposed to one in the Pipevine Swallowtail further above.