Eastern tiger swallowtail
Female Eastern Tiger Swallowtails occur in two color forms, one yellow like the male and one almost entirely black, mimicking a toxic swallowtail.
| Where | Deciduous woodlands, fields and roadsides |
|---|---|
| Size | 79 to 140 mm wingspan |
| When | March to September |
Males are yellow with four black tiger stripes across each forewing; females may share this pattern or appear almost entirely black, with a shadow of the stripes still visible in certain light. The wingspan runs from about 79 to 140 millimeters, with southern individuals typically larger than northern ones.
Two to three generations fly between spring and fall, and caterpillars feed on the leaves of trees such as wild cherry, tulip tree and birch, resembling a small snake with large false eyespots in their later stages.
Traits
Habitat
Woodland
Colour
Yellow, Black
Active
Day
To people
Common and conspicuous in gardens and along woodland edges; harmless to handle.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Shows a wider pale blue band on the underside of the hindwing than the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.
Questions
Is the Eastern tiger swallowtail dangerous to people?
Common and conspicuous in gardens and along woodland edges; harmless to handle.
When can you see the Eastern tiger swallowtail?
The Eastern tiger swallowtail can be seen from March to September, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by nana10, CC0, iNaturalist Licence
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Butterflies and moths›Swallowtails›Papilio
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.