Butterflies of Indiana: A Field Guide

Immature Stages

132 Immature Stages Note: Photographs are not to scale. Eggs are extremely small, usually 1/16" or less, and vary somewhat in size. Some eggs change color between the time they are deposited and the emergence of the larva. 1 Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor philenor) [7] •Orange; in rows on leaves or leaf stems; on Pipevine (Aristolochia macrophylla ) and Virginia Snakeroot (Aristolochia serpentaria) [151] 2 Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) [5] •Orange; singly on upperside of leaves of Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum americanum ) [163] or Hop Tree (Ptelea trifoliata) 3 Cabbage White (Pieris rapae rapae) [13] •White or pale yellow; on leaves of Cabbage (Brassica oleracea), Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata), Yellow Rocket (Barbarea vulgaris) [143], and other mustards (Brassicaceae) 4 Olympia Marble (Euchloe olympia) [15] •White; singly among flower buds or on underside of leaves of Sandcress (Arabidopsis lyrata) [143] 5 Baltimore Checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton phaeton) [61] •Orange; in masses on underside of leaves of White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) [152] 6 Monarch (Danaus plexippus plexippus) [49] •White; conical, ribbed; among flower buds or on underside of leaves of milkweeds (Asclepias) [153, 252] 7 Little Wood-Satyr (Megisto cymela cymela) [77] •White; round, on or near leaves of Orchard Grass (Dactylis glomerata), Virginia Wild Rye (Elymus virginicus), and other grasses (Poaceae) 8 Golden Banded-Skipper (Autochton cellus) [81] •Greenish-yellow or orange; usually in clusters or stacks on leaves of Hog Peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata) [147] 9 Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae) [85] •White; singly on underside of leaves of Yellow Wild Indigo (Baptisia tinctoria ) and Crown Vetch (Coronilla varia) [147] 10Tawny-edged Skipper (Polites themistocles themistocles) [111] •Greenish-white; singly on or near panic-grasses (Panicum and Dichanthelium ) [169] and blue-grasses (Poa) [167] L 132-141 Immatures.indd 132 8/7/12 2:37 PM 133 Eggs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 L 132-141 Immatures.indd 133 8/7/12 2:37 PM 134 Immature Stages Note: Photographs are not to scale. Sizes of larvae are extremely variable , but mentioned below are approximate sizes of full-grown larvae. 1 Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor philenor) [7] •1"; black with orange spots; occasionally orange. On leaves of Virginia Snakeroot (Aristolochia serpentaria) [151] and Pipevine (A. macrophylla). Larvae feed in groups when young, singly when older. Larvae do not make leaf shelters. 2 Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) [5] •11/4"; all instars mimic bird droppings. On Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) [163] or Hop Tree (Ptelea trifoliata). Larvae do not make leaf shelters. 3 Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus glaucus) [3, 7] •11/4"; similar to Spicebush Swallowtail, but eyespots smaller. On leaves of Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) [159], Black Cherry (Prunus serotina ) [163], and many other trees. Larvae do not make leaf shelters. 4 Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes asterius) [5] •11/4"; late instar larvae have white, black, green, and yellow stripes; young larvae mimic bird droppings [a]. On Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) [153], Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa), and other carrots (Apiaceae). Like other swallowtail larvae, Black Swallowtail larvae possess a fleshy, forked horn, or osmeterium, within the body segment immediately behind the head [b]. This foul-smelling organ, which is normally hidden, is thrust out when the larva is squeezed or otherwise disturbed. The osmeterium has been shown to repel attacks from a variety of inverterbrate predators, including ants (Damman 1986). Larvae do not make leaf shelters. 5 Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) [3] •1"; white, yellow, and gray stripes. On Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) [159]. Larvae do not make leaf shelters. 6 Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus troilus) [7] •1"; late instar larvae green with large “eyes” are mimics of snakes; young larvae mimic bird droppings [a]. On leaves of Sassafras (Sassafras albidum ) [159] or Spicebush (Lindera benzoin). Larvae in all instars make a leaf shelter [b] by running a mat of silk in a band across the leaf. The silk tightens and creates a fold, pulling the leaf over the larva. The flap is not tied down with silk. Often seen on the same Sassafras trees are leaf shelters made by the larvae of a moth. The moth larvae are pale green and the flaps of their shelters are tied down with silk. They also usually drop out of their shelter when it is opened. Spicebush Swallowtail larvae stay put. After a larva has finished eating, it ejects undigested food from its rear and enters a “wandering stage” in which it searches for a suitable location...