Texas Butterfly

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The Black Swallowtail can be found throughout the state. Females mimic the Pipevine Swallowtail while males have two distinct rows of yellow cell spots on the uperside of their wings.

Found primarily in East Texas, the Spicebush Swallowtail mimics the Pipevine Swallowtail. It differs from the Pipevine in two distinct ways. First, it has two rows of orange spots on the underside of its wings making it look more like the Black Swallowtail. Second, the white spots on the upperside cling close to the edge of the wings.

The Pipevine Swallowtail is abundant throughout Texas. It frequents gardens and can be found in flower fields and groves of trees. Its caterpillars feed on pipevine, a noxious plant which makes the butterflies taste bad to predators. Several other species mimic the Pipevine including the Spicebush and Black Swallowtails.