Pest Status: Swallowtail butterflies are not pests.
Appearance: Swallowtails are large, beautiful, butterflies that have distinctive yellow-and-black wings with a long "tail" on the end of each hindwing.
Life Cycle: Females lay their eggs on the undersides of leaves. Eggs hatch within two weeks into tiny caterpillars that take about one month to grow to full size. A pupa takes about 24 hours to complete development.
Where to Collect: Swallowtails are often found flying in rural areas where there are plenty of diverse plants. They are strong fliers, but usually can be netted by agile and patient collectors.
Purdue Extension Entomology, 901 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA, (765) 494-4554