Eastern Tiger Swallowtail vs Schaus Swallowtail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Schaus Swallowtail
Scientific Name Papilio glaucus Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Papilionidae Papilionidae
Size 79-140 mm wingspan 83-95 mm wingspan
Habitat Rivers & Streams Forests
Diet Nectar Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions North America Florida Keys, United States
Conservation Least Concern Endangered

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

A large yellow butterfly with bold black tiger stripes and blue and orange markings on the hindwing margins. Females can occur in a dark morph mimicking the toxic pipevine swallowtail.

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Did You Know?

The caterpillar has large false eyespots and can evert an orange forked gland called an osmeterium that emits a foul smell to deter predators.

Schaus Swallowtail

A dark swallowtail with yellow bands and rusty-brown hindwing patches restricted to hardwood hammocks of the Florida Keys. It is one of the most endangered butterflies in the United States.

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Did You Know?

After Hurricane Andrew in 1992 nearly wiped out the species, a captive breeding program at the University of Florida saved it from extinction.