Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly

Protographium Marcellus, the Zebra Swallowtail, (formerly listed under genera Eurytides, Iphiclides, Graphium, and Papilio by some authorities) is a swallowtail butterfly native to the eastern United States and southeast Canada. It is the state butterfly of Tennessee. The butterflies are closely associated with pawpaws and are rarely found far from these trees. The green or black caterpillars feed on the leaves of various pawpaw species, while the adults feed on flower nectar and minerals from damp soil.

The zebra swallowtail has a 6.4 to 10.4 cm wingspan. The triangular wings have longitudinal black stripes and are white to greenish white in color. The hindwings have two sword-like tails that protrude. The hindwing's inner edge features a red spot close to the body and two blue spots on the corner. The ventral hindwing has a red line running along the middle of it. There are two seasonal variations of P. Marcellus, one of which appears in the spring and the other in the summer. Smaller, more white, and with short, black tails that have white tips are spring forms. Summer versions are bigger, have longer, longer tails that are black with white margins, and have wider black stripes.