The Zebra Swallowtail, Protographium marcellus, is the only native kite swallowtail in the United States. In Florida it is closely tied to native pawpaw plants because pawpaw is the larval host plant — the plant where the female lays her eggs and the caterpillars feed.
In older Florida references you may see the scientific name Eurytides marcellus. That name is still used in some field guides and Florida gardening materials; Protographium marcellus is the current name used by UF/IFAS. Read the University of Florida IFAS profile of the Zebra Swallowtail. This is a relevant source covering the Zebra Swallowtail’s life cycle and its pawpaw host plants
The wings are greenish-white to white with bold black stripes and borders. The hindwings carry a red spot and blue scaling and have an especially long tail tipped in white. Florida adults are generally about 60–90 mm across.
UF/IFAS lists the Zebra Swallowtail in habitats including scrub, woodlands, fields and pastures, with a Florida flight season extending through much of the year. The Florida Museum notes that they also occur along forest margins, waterways, roadsides and occasionally in gardens.
Pawpaw is more than a food source for the caterpillar — it is the foundation of the butterfly’s reproduction. Florida has several native Asimina species that can serve as host plants, including slimleaf pawpaw, smallflower pawpaw and others. Planting and protecting native pawpaws can therefore create valuable habitat for Zebra Swallowtails.
A nectar garden can feed adult butterflies, but a true butterfly habitat also needs host plants for caterpillars. The Zebra Swallowtail is a beautiful example: if you want the next generation, the pawpaw matters just as much as the flowers.
University of Florida IFAS Extension, “Zebra Swallowtail Protographium marcellus”; UF/IFAS, “Butterfly Gardening in Florida”; Florida Museum of Natural History, “Zebra Swallowtail.”
Prepared from the butterfly image supplied with the email and current UF/IFAS and Florida Museum reference information. Scientific names can change as taxonomy is revised