Hobbies And Interests

Stages of Black Swallowtail Butterfly Development

Black swallowtail butterflies go through a complete metamorphosis like all butterflies and many other insects. They begin as eggs, hatch into larvae and then spend a period of time in a chrysalis before emerging as a winged adult. Just one example of the difference between the adult and larval stages is that caterpillars have chewing mouth parts while their adult forms have a straw-like, siphoning mouth structure, according to the Texas A&M Entomology Department.
  1. Egg

    • Adult swallowtails lay their round, cream-colored eggs on plants that the larva can eat once hatched. This species lays single eggs, though other butterfly species are known to lay them in clusters.

    Larva

    • Swallowtail caterpillars spend most of their time eating and gathering up energy for the pupa stage. These insects are commonly found in weedy areas such as meadows and fields, according to the University of Kentucky Entomology Department. To protect themselves from predators, swallowtail caterpillars are able to secrete foul chemicals that both smell and taste bad. The larva can reach up to 2 inches in length.

    Pupa

    • After several molts, or shedding of its exoskeleton because of increasing size, the larva enters a dormant period known as the pupal stage. The caterpillar will hang upside down from a plant and spin a silken cocoon around itself. Within the cocoon, tremendous changes take place as the caterpillar morphs into its adult form. Black swallowtails, like most other butterfly species, usually spend the winter as a pupa, emerging in the spring as adults to begin the cycle once more.

    Imago

    • When it emerges, the adult, or imago, has a large abdomen and limp, droopy wings. It will hang upside down from its chrysalis to help drive fluid into its wings to fill them out. Once the wings are dry, the adult will eliminate the waste it has built up during the pupa stage and then fly off to mate.


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