What do they eat? Caterpillars (larvae) eat the leaves and seedpods of the pipevine plant. Adult butterflies feed on a variety of plants for their nectar and may also seek out minerals at puddles.
Also question is, are pipevine swallowtails rare?
Although the Pipevine Swallowtail is not listed as a rare butterfly, native stands of pipevine are becoming less and less common. Some gardeners plant the host plant, pipevine, and the Pipevine Swallowtail appears like magic. Other gardeners wait for quite some time before their efforts are rewarded.
Similarly, do pipevine swallowtails migrate?
The pipevine swallowtail is also found northward to southeastern Ontario, Canada and southward to southern Mexico (Cech & Tudor 2005, Opler & Malikul 1998, Scott 1986).
How long does a pipevine swallowtail butterfly live?
Pipevine Swallowtail Life Cycle Stages and Times
Stage | Typical Duration |
Egg stage | Generally 4 to 10 days, depending on temperature and host plant |
Caterpillar (larval) stage | 3 to 4 weeks |
Chrysalis (pupal) stage | 10 to 20 days (except for overwintering pupae) |
Adult butterfly stage | 6 to 14 days |
Are swallowtail butterflies helpful or harmful?
For example, the pipevine swallowtail tastes bad to birds and other predators, while black swallowtail caterpillars emit a bad-tasting odor and toxins that they absorb from plants. This makes them beneficial in gardens plagued by unwanted animals.