Alabama Butterfly Atlas

Pipevine Swallowtails are widespread in Alabama. These distasteful butterflies are the center of a mimicry ring that includes at least six palatable species. Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillars obtain toxic chemicals (aristocholic acids) from their host plants; they retain these as adult butterflies. The chemicals are distasteful to birds, which learn to avoid the black and orange caterpillars, orange eggs, as well as the large black-and-blue, orange-spotted butterflies. All carry warning colors (orange and black) that advertise their toxicity.  Dark female Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, dark female Appalachian Tiger Swallowtails, female Spicebush Swallowtails, female Black Swallowtails, female Diana Fritillaries, and Red-spotted Purples have developed similar color patterns that give them some protection from predators.  

Pipevine Swallowtails flutter constantly when nectaring--a characteristic that can help in identification. Males patrol to look for females and may gather in groups to sip from wet sand or muddy roads. Female Pipevine Swallowtails deposit eggs on new growth and do not hesitate to use small Pipevine sprouts. Eggs are often laid in groups rather than singly. Virginia Snakeroot plants are usually only a few inches tall, so caterpillars may be required to search the woodland floor for additional food as they grow. Broods from the spring and early summer typically form green chrysalides that are attached to green leaves or stems. This species spends the winter in the pupal stage, so as day lengths shorten, caterpillars are triggered to form brown chrysalides. They usually attach to something non-deciduous like bark or stone, which offers better stability and protection for winter months. 

Except for the Pacific Northwest, Pipevine Swallowtails range throughout the United States. In Alabama, they occur statewide and can sometimes be seen in large numbers where pipevine is abundant.