Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus, Papilio glaucus)

In the Carolinas, this is one of the most recognized and commonly seen species. Interestingly, the "ground color" in E. Tiger Swallowtail is dark, hence the yellow markings are actually the "stripes" on a dark background, rather than dark stripes on yellow! In central NC, about 50% of the females are "dark" type and about 50% are "yellow" type. Dark types are always females and males are always yellow. And females have more blue in the hindwing than the males. Recent genomics studies indicate that this species belongs in the genus Pterourus, but was formerly treated as Papilio glaucus.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Male
Macon Co., NC
12 May 2006

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Female
Durham Co., NC
10 Aug 2008

Females show relatively more irridescent blue on the upper hindwing than males.

	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Female Durham Co., NC 1 July 2010
	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Female (same individual) Durham Co., NC 1 July 2010 Note the faint tiger striping still visible.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Female
Durham Co., NC
8 Sep 2010

This individual shows much stronger yellow forewing subcostal marks than is typical of the species.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Durham Co., NC
20 Aug 2005

"Puddle Party" of males

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Fews Ford, Orange Co., NC
2 Aug 2023

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Durham Co., NC
19 Aug 2018

Nectaring on Dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum)

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Female

Craven Co., NC
27 Aug 2006

Nectaring on Vanilla-leaf (Carphephorus odoratissimus)

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Croatan NF, Craven Co., NC
25 Aug 2018

Nectaring on blazing star (Liatris sp.)


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Graham Co., NC 1 May 2004	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Haywood Co., NC 13 May 2005


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Male Orange Co., NC 20 Apr 2006	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Orange Co., NC 15 Jun 2006


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Dark female Nectaring on Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium) Blackwood Division of Duke Forest Orange Co., NC 25 July 2003	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Yellow female Nectaring on Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium) Blackwood Division of Duke Forest Orange Co., NC 25 July 2003


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Male Orange Co., NC 16 July 2003	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Male Tyrell Co., NC 21 June 2003


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Female Nectaring on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Orange Co., NC 7 June 2006	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Female Nectaring on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Orange Co., NC 7 June 2006


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Female Nectaring on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Orange Co., NC 7 June 2007	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Female Nectaring on Abelia Durham Co., NC 10 Aug 2008


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Puddle party with about 25 others in Orange Co., NC 4 Apr 2020	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Alamance Co., NC 5 Sep 2020

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Male
Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Swain Co., NC
4 July 2001

Nectaring on Fly-poison (Amianthium muscaetoxicum)

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Female

Watauga Co., NC
27 June 2004

Nectaring on Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)

	This interesting dark tiger swallowtail was very large, and the idea of it being an Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail was entertained, however, it is most likely an Eastern Tiger. Macon Co., NC 12 May 2006


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Johnston Mill Preserve, Orange Co., NC 12 Sep 2007	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Johnston Mill Preserve, Orange Co., NC 12 Sep 2007


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Female Durham Co., NC 20 Aug 2005	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Haywood Co., NC 15 Apr 2006

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Duke Gardens, Durham Co., NC
16 Aug 2015

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Weymouth Woods, Moore Co., NC
31 Mar 2016


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Nectaring on Clethra Aberdeen Lake Park, Moore Co., NC 4 Aug 2016	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Nectaring on Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium fistulosum) Caldwell Co., NC 23 Aug 2016

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Nectaring on New York Iron Weed (Vernonia noveboracensis)
Watauga Co., NC
23 Aug 2016

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Johnston Mill Preserve, Orange Co., NC
6 Aug 2023

Nectaring on Cirsium


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Nectaring on Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium fistulosum) Caldwell Co., NC 23 Aug 2016	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Nectaring on Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium fistulosum) Caldwell Co., NC 23 Aug 2016

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Caldwell Co., NC
23 Aug 2016

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
11 Aug 2019

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
23 Aug 2020

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Quail Roost, Durham Co., NC
16 Aug 2020


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Falls Lake, Wake Co., NC 27 May 2007	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Duke Forest, Durham Co., NC 21 Aug 2017

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
27 Jun 2020

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Rougemont, Orange Co., NC
5 Apr 2017

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Rougemont, Orange Co., NC
5 Apr 2017

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
7 Apr 2013


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Bluestem, Orange Co., NC 14 Sep 2023	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Rougemont, Orange Co., NC 11 Apr 2017

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Brumley Nature Preserve, Orange Co., NC
30 Mar 2023

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Johnston Mill Preserve, Orange Co., NC
6 Aug 2023

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Brumley Nature Preserve, Orange Co., NC
23 Mar 2023

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
13 Sep 2023

Nectaring on Verbesina occidentalis

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
19 Sep 2023

Caught by a crab spider while nectaring on Verbesina

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Chowan Swamp Gamelands, Hertford Co., NC
20 Sep 2023

Caught by a crab spider while nectaring on Bidens

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Big Cypress NWR, Collier Co., FL
25 Sep 2016

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Kankakee Sands, Newton Co., IN
30 July 2015

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Muscatatuck NWR, Jackson Co., IN
27 July 2015


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Muscatatuck NWR, Jackson Co., IN 27 July 2015

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Washington Co., TX
21 Mar 2018


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Bell Co., TX 15 Mar 2018

	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Female Orange Co., NC 16 July 2008
	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Female Orange Co., NC 16 July 2008

This Eastern Tiger Swallowtail's underhindwing is covered with pollen from the Turk's Cap Lily!

Avery Co., NC
26 July 2006

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)
Durham Division, Duke Forest, Durham Co., NC
4 May 2013

Tiger Swallowtails are fond of Eastern Redbud nectar in the springtime!

Orange Co., NC 4/5/2006

	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Nectaring on Eleagnus Haywood Co., NC 15 Apr 2006

Puddle party of Eastern Tigers, Spicebush, and Pipevine Swallowtails on horse poop

Haywood Co., NC
15 Apr 2006

	Eastern Tiger Swallowtails (Pterourus glaucus) Rougemont, Orange Co., NC 11 Apr 2017 Nectaring on planted Azaleas
	Eastern Tiger Swallowtails (Pterourus glaucus) Rougemont, Orange Co., NC 11 Apr 2017 Nectaring on planted Azaleas

Appalachian and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails

In the spring in the NC mountains, Eastern Tiger Swallowtails (right) are smaller than the very large Applachian Tiger Swallowtails (left).

Clay Co., NC
13 May 2006

Swallowtail puddle party
Graham Co., NC
28 Apr 2006

Swallowtail puddle party
Graham Co., NC
28 Apr 2006

	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Orange Co., NC 5 June 2011
	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Orange Co., NC 5 June 2011

	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Orange Co., NC 5 June 2011 Nectaring on Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa) with a Great Spangled Fritillary.
	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) Orange Co., NC 5 June 2011

	Early instar caterpillar, probably E. Tiger Swallowtail Carteret Co., NC 26 Aug 2007 This caterpillar is on Magnolia sp. in a pine savannah.
	Early instar caterpillar, probably E. Tiger Swallowtail Carteret Co., NC 26 Aug 2007

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) caterpillar
Durham Co., NC
29 Aug 2012

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) caterpillar
Eno Division, Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
11 Oct 2013

Mature caterpillar on host plant Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera).

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) caterpillar
Island Creek, Croatan NF, Jones Co., NC
12 Aug 2016

Mature caterpillar on host plant Umbrella Magnolia (Magnolia tripetala).

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Created on ... July 17, 2001 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com