Zebra swallowtail caterpillars10/4/2023 ![]() ![]() The young pawpaw leaves that the swallowtail so likes are high in acetogenius, a substance that makes them unpleasant-tasting for rabbits, deer, and other leave eaters. The zebra swallowtail deposits one egg per leave so as to keep the newly-hatched caterpillars separated…they tend to eat each other. Aiding in the process is the Asimina webworm moth ( Omphalocera munroei) that dines on the older pawpaw leaves, thus promoting new leaf growth. Zebra swallowtails choose to lay eggs only on the emerging terminal leaves of the pawpaw tree. Additionally, the butterfly has a bright red spot and two blue dots on its wings. The black and whitish-green stripes give it its name. Its wingspan averages two and a half to four inches across. Image from Greg Lasley, Nature Photography.Ī variety of the kite swallowtail family, the zebra swallowtail, the zebra swallowtail’s tail is longer and its wings are more triangular than its cousins. Zebra Swallowtail, Eurytides marcellus, Boykin Springs Angelina National Forest, Angelina Co., Texas 24 March 2010. And now a bit about the zebra swallowtail. All of its cousins are found in tropical climates the pawpaw is the only member of this genus that grown in temperate climate of North America. The pawpaw tree is a member of the Annonaceae family which also includes the tropical custard apple and the cherimoya. The fruit is so delicate and has such a short shelf life that it is difficult to sell it commercially. Additionally, the fruit is climacteric, meaning it continues to ripen after it has be picked. ![]() The thin skin of the pawpaw fruit means it bruises easily. Pawpaw fruit is often used in puddings, pies, and ice cream, but it can be eaten fresh. The soft, fleshy pulp is yellow and tastes a bit like pineapple, mango, or banana. Pawpaws are greenish-yellow, ripening to a darker shade. The fruit of the pawpaw tree grows in clusters and is oblong in shape. Pawpaw blossoms are protogynous dichogamy, which means they are incapable of self-pollinating because the flower’s stigmas are designed to receive pollen before pollen is released from the flower’s own anthers. The blossoms of the pawpaw tree emerge as light green then mature into a dark red colored flower that produces a strong and unpleasant odor. Pawpaw trees are typically found in clusters in the understory of deciduous forests. The trees aren’t particularly large, averaging about 30 feet in height, and the trunks are slender. It was already firmly rooted in the south eastern portion of the country and as far north as Michigan and southern Ontario. Because we now call something that is quintessentially American as “American as apple pie” and we count Johnny Appleseed as a national folk hero, it is easy to forget that apple trees, as well as pears and peaches, are actually Eurasian in origin and were brought to North America by settlers. The pawpaw is the largest tree fruit native to North America. ![]() A cursory glance at both may fail to yield a connection but a closer look shows a complex relationship between the butterfly and the fruit tree that gives us insight into the evolutionary path of both. The Zebra Swallowtail ( Eurytides Marcellus) and the Common Pawpaw ( Asimina triloba) are both evolutionary misfits. ![]()
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