Pawpaw zebra swallowtail12/29/2023 ![]() The zebras that emerge in the spring are somewhat smaller and lighter in color than the 2- to 4-inch summer butterflies. When fully grown, it transforms into a pupa to overwinter on the dried leaf on the trunk of the tree. Caterpillars have two color forms - the first is green with yellow and black bands, and the other is dark brown with orange and white bands. After hatching, the larvae feed on pawpaw leaves, growing through several stages to an adult caterpillar that is usually hairless. These small trees are the only host plant of zebras - deer dislike them, and seedlings are plentiful in woods.įemales lay a single egg on the leaf of a pawpaw, usually on the underside, according to Hamilton. On the second flight, in late summer, they seek nectar on butterfly milkweed, blue vervain, ironweed and lantana.īy late summer, male zebra swallowtails search for females in moist, wooded areas where pawpaw trees grow. In spring, zebras feed on nectars from early flowers on trees and shrubs such as blueberry, redbud and dogwood. ![]() Adrienne Frank, coordinator of the Butterfly Circles in the Williamsburg area, said they really like short tubular flowers such as lantana. Zebras, Eurytides marcellus, are difficult to photograph as their wings vibrate constantly while feeding on the nectar of flowers. Males and females appear identical, the only definitive difference being the egg-laying activity of the female and its smaller size.” Zebras that emerge in the spring are smaller with shorter tails than those that are mature in the fall. “When the wings close, a bright red stripe is visible in the middle of the hindwing. “The hindwings have two deep blue spots at the base and a red spot closer to the body,” she said. You will know a zebra swallowtail as soon as you spot it because nothing else looks like this big butterfly with triangular wings with vertical black and white stripes, and long, sword-like tails, according to Hamilton. The powdered seeds have been used to treat lice in children, and researchers have found that both the leaves and seeds have chemicals that kill insects. The fruits can cause allergic reactions or act as a laxative. Pawpaw fruits were prized by Native Americans and early settlers who made cordage and rope from the tree’s fiber, Hamilton continued. Pawpaw is the only host plant for this black-and-white-striped butterfly.” In fall, zebra swallowtails are seen hovering over the leaves, laying their eggs. ![]() “The large, lance-shaped leaves produce a foul odor when crushed and so do the twigs when they are damaged, which discourages deer. “Seedlings of pawpaw are often prolific in woods where deer have browsed on other plants,” Hamilton said. Pawpaw has a long taproot and reproduces by root suckers. Easy to grow, pawpaw prefers acidic, fertile soils, well-drained with average water. The native plant can be part of a rain garden or placed in a shrub border or the edge of woods with average water. It grows in moist soils in forests, often as a smaller understory tree. ![]() The trees can be found locally at Redbud Native Plant Nursery andYellow Springs Farm and Nursery, should you find yourself feeling so inspired.Pawpaw is native to every county in Virginia and throughout the eastern United States, she adds. Though it will be a few years before you can enjoy the (literal) fruits of your labor, I do believe that it’s an investment that has an excellent payoff. I hope I have you convinced to plant a pawpaw. The larvae of the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly feed exclusively on the young leaves of the tree. And the final item on the “reasons-why-you-should-plant-a-Pawpaw-tree list” is the Zebra Swallowtail connection. Although the Pawpaw tree commonly grows in floodplains, it will also grow well in upland habitats. The tree’s brown flowers are the only brown flowers other than Wild Ginger native to Pennsylvania. It has the largest edible indigenous fruit to the United States. The Pawpaw tree, Asimina triloba, is native to much of the United States and parts of Canada. I am proud to report that the pawpaw did not smell like rotting meat as it is often described and the fruit has the delicious taste and texture of something between a mango and a banana.īest of all, the tree has several other exciting benefits that lead me to strongly recommend that you plant it on your property this fall. I confessed that I had no idea and moments later, thanks to Kevin, I enjoyed a fresh-off-the-tree and perfectly ripe pawpaw fruit. Our Natural Resource Manager Kevin Fryeberger gestured to one of the Pawpaw trees he has planted on the preserve and asked if I could identify its species. ![]() On Wednesday I found myself out at the Conservancy's Waterloo Mills Preserve. ![]()
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