Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)

Common in the NC coastal plain and sandhills, this species flies from spring into fall. Recent evidence suggests that this species is more appropriately placed in the genus Pterourus. It was formerly treated as Papilio palamedes. The caterpillar host plant is Redbay (Persea borbonia), which may become threatened in NC by an invasive fungus-carrying beetle which is killing Redbay from NC down to northern FL.
Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes) Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
Croatan National Forest, Craven Co., NC
27 Aug 2006

Note yellow and black striped body separates this species from all other swallowtails in North Carolina.


Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
Nectaring on Few-flowered Milkweek (Asclepias lanceolata)
Croatan National Forest, Craven Co., NC
12 Aug 2016

Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes) Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes)
Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
Nectaring on Lantana
New Hanover Co., NC
28 Aug 2004
Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
Nectaring on Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Washington Co., NC
19 June 2004

Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes) Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes)
Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
York Co., VA
21 Aug 2013
Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
Nectaring on Rhododendron atlanticum
Holly Shelter Gamelands, Pender Co., NC
24 April 2004

Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
Bladen Co., NC
1 Oct 2016

Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
Nectaring on Trilisa odoratissima
Holly Shelter Gamelands, Pender Co., NC
11 Sep 2016
Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
Nectaring on Trilisa odoratissima
Holly Shelter Gamelands, Pender Co., NC
11 Sep 2016

Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
Nectaring on Trilisa odoratissima
Holly Shelter Gamelands, Pender Co., NC
11 Sep 2016
Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
Nectaring on Trilisa odoratissima
Holly Shelter Gamelands, Pender Co., NC
11 Sep 2016

Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
Alligator River NWR, Dare Co., NC
22 Oct 2023

Nectaring on Solidago


Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
Nectaring on Cirsium horridulum
Holly Shelter Gamelands, Pender Co., NC
11 Apr 2023

Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
Nectaring on Cirsium horridulum
Holly Shelter Gamelands, Pender Co., NC
11 Apr 2023

Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
Big Cypress, Collier Co., FL
25 Sep 2016

Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
Holly Shelter Gamelands, Pender Co., NC
11 Sep 2016

Impressive how a small crab spider can take a butterfly as large as a Palamedes!


Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
Holly Shelter Gamelands, Pender Co., NC
11 Sep 2016

Vanilla-plant is a butterfly magnet!


Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
Holly Shelter Gamelands, Pender Co., NC
11 Sep 2016

Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes)
Carteret Co., NC
26 Aug 2012



North Carolina Butterflies | North American Butterflies | Jeff's Nature Page


Created on ... April 25, 2004 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com