Species guide
Black swallowtail
HarmlessPapilio polyxenes
How to recognise it
A black butterfly with rows of yellow spots across the wings and blue and orange markings near the tailed hindwings.
Is it dangerous?
Harmless. Its caterpillar feeds on parsley, dill and carrot tops, so it's an occasional, minor garden nibbler.
Commonly confused with
- Pipevine swallowtail — iridescent blue hindwings, no yellow spot rows
Recorded 112,345 times in the wild worldwide.
Think you've spotted one?
Photograph it and let SpecieSense confirm the species — and show you the reasoning.
Identify a specimen