Anise Swallowtail in Massachusetts? - Papilio polyxenes - BugGuide.Net

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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies and Skippers (Papilionoidea) » Swallowtails, Parnassians (Papilionidae) » Papilioninae » Fluted Swallowtails (Papilionini) » Papilio » Black Swallowtail - Hodges#4159 (Papilio polyxenes) » Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes asterius)

Photo#136563

Copyright © 2007 shafferlc

Anise Swallowtail in Massachusetts? - Papilio polyxenes

Palmer, Hampden County, Massachusetts, USA
August 12, 2007
Size: 1/2 to 3/4"

I thought this was an anise swallowtail caterpillar (http://bugguide.net/node/view/28235), but the range described for them is way too far west. I found this guy in central Massachusetts. Any ideas? Are swallowtails expanding their range?

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Contributed by shafferlc on 14 August, 2007 - 6:37am
Last updated 9 October, 2016 - 11:52am

Moved

Moved from Black Swallowtail.

… David J. Ferguson, 8 July, 2009 - 6:01pm

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best guess is Queen Anne's Lace

Hi and thanks for your help! I wish I knew what plant it is for sure - judging from my other photos (worse of the caterpillar, better of the plant) I think it might have just been a Queen Anne's Lace.

… shafferlc, 14 August, 2007 - 5:38pm

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okay, then back to black swallowtail

I'm done with all the waffling now! Daucus carota aka queen anne's lace is a host plant for black swallowtail.

… Nina, 14 August, 2007 - 7:02pm

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it does look more like Anise

than it does any other...

hmm... again, if you could id the plant it's on, that might be useful.

… Nina, 14 August, 2007 - 5:33pm

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take a look here at this page

take a look here at this page

and skim all the way down to the bottom to see the darker version of the black swallowtail--not sure what instar yours is at, but it might be a dark version of black swallowtail...

what type of plant did you find it on? That might help more with the id than the photos b/c different types are particular to specific food sources. Black swallowtails prefer parsley and/or fennel plants.

… Nina, 14 August, 2007 - 11:30am

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can't remember where I was reading this...

but I believe that black swallowtails (or maybe it was eastern tiger?), have at least 2 different larval versions, one being a darker... I think I saved the link on my laptop. Will look for it... until then, perhaps another member can help.

… Nina, 14 August, 2007 - 10:36am

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