Not only can delicious fruits be harvested, but it is the one and only host plant for the gorgeous Zebra Swallowtail. Zebra Swallowtail Eurytides marcellus (Cramer, 1777) Family: Papilionidae. In addition, the Paw Paw fruit is often compared to bananas, but with hints of mango, vanilla, and citrus. Zebra Swallowtail caterpillars feed exclusively on various species of pawpaw (Annonaceae). Zebra Swallowtail Eurytides marcellus. Pawpaws can grow up to 30 feet but can easily be pruned each year to maintain a much smaller size. It’s our only black and white swallowtail and the black and white stripes play essentially the same role for the butterfly as they do for its mammalian namesake. This resilient plant is a must-have addition to any garden. Zebra swallowtails have long, triangular wings with black, zebra-like stripes on a whitish background. Females lay single green eggs on lower leaves of host plant. 1 of 5. This small tropical-like tree is a unique and wonderful addition to landscapes. Butterfly Larval Plants To experience the full life cycle of butterflies right in your own backyard, you must plant both larval and nectar plants . Discover the Chesapeake Field Guide Insects Invertebrates Zebra Swallowtail. Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly Caterpillar joyfulbutterfly.com The caterpillars of this species are green or black with thick and light transverse stripes all over the body. One of the most attractive features of pawpaw is that it is host plant to the caterpillar of the zebra swallowtail butterfly (Protographium marcellus, formerly Eurytides marcellus).The zebra swallowtail is beautiful with dramatic black and white stripes enhanced by … The larvae are black in color on hatching, but as they grow, stripes develop. Yet if it is dug up and replanted, it will… Zebra Swallowtail Paw-paw Aside from host plants and nectar-rich plants, you may offer a fruit-feeding station, because some species like the monarch , mourning cloak, … If purchasing larvae, they will need a food source when they arrive. Use plants that are appropriate to your landscape conditions, emphasizing plants that are native to your region. Larval Host Plants for Butterflies and Moths. Common pawpaw, Asimina triloba (L.)Dunal (Annonaceae), a larval host for the zebra swallowtail, Protographium marcellus (Cramer). It lives in moist, low woodlands where its host plant, the paw paw tree, grows. However, this is the ONLY host plant for the spectacular Zebra Swallowtail. Caterpillars live and feed on the underside of these leaves, then pupate and hibernate there. After mating, the female butterflies lay spherical eggs on the leaves of the pawpaw trees. )Dunal (Annonaceae), a larval host for the zebra swallowtail, Protographium marcellus (Cramer). The primary larval host plant is the pawpaw, and hence, they are mostly found in these trees.