The Spicebush Swallowtails (Papilio troilus) are here in abundance. I have seen them throughout the yard this week, but mostly on the butterfly bushes along with the spotted skippers (first photo at left). These are large and very brightly colored butterflies. My Kaufman guide says that these attractive eastern swallowtails are most common in the south, tend to stick close to wooded areas, their flight is slow and close to the ground, and they fly from spring to fall, most of the year in the deep south. Their larval foodplants are spicebushes, sassafras, and other laurels.
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Male Spicebush Swallowtail
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Colorful underside of spicebush swallowtail
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Click photos to enlarge
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“Butterflies on butterfly bush”…great shots Sherry..beautful. I have started looking for your raspberry butterfly bush in our local gardens..so far no luck..
Hi Raji,
Thanks!
About the bicolor butterfly bush — I mail-ordered it from waysidegardens.com. I’m not sure if it’s still available from them, if not you can probably find it at some other online nursery. Good luck, and thanks for visiting.
Such a beautiful variety. What a wonderful capture.
Thanks, Quietpaths. They are very common here, but still hard to resist photographing. :)