Quick swallowtail id please!

[ZephAmp]

I need to know if this is a black or spicebush swallowtail, and what gender. I'm going to try to induce laying if it's a black swallowtail female. Sorry for the bad pics. x_x

 

[DemonAsh]

See the double row of yellow on the edge of the inside of the wings = black swallowtail.. Someone else may know how to sex them.

 

[ZephAmp]

See the double row of yellow on the edge of the inside of the wings = black swallowtail.. Someone else may know how to sex them.

Thanks for the ID!
I read that females have bluer marks on their wings, whereas males have blue-green marks. It looks pretty blue to me!

 

[VinceG]

Yes, this is a Black swallowtail, papilio polyxenes asterius. For the sex, I would say it's a female since the male have almost no blue mark on the bottom wings, and females have a lot of them.

 

[ZephAmp]

Yes, this is a Black swallowtail, papilio polyxenes asterius. For the sex, I would say it's a female since the male have almost no blue mark on the bottom wings, and females have a lot of them.

Excellent!

Now, this may be a bit too specific of a question, but does she look fertilized? I just put a sprig of parsley and some flowers from a butterfly bush in a modified vase in her container, and it would be great to see some eggs/pillars soon.

 

[ZephAmp]

She was beating the crap out of her wings in the old container, so I moved her outside into a horizontally-oriented plastic-screened cage. I heard sunlight induces ovulation. Is this true? Will she "scent" to males like some moths do?

 

[Scylla]

This is a gravid female.

 

[ZephAmp]

This is a gravid female.

Just what I was waiting to hear!
Hopefully she'll pop out some eggs soon; It would be great to get these guys in culture all year long.

 

[Fyreflye]

Do butterflies lay eggs, or directly give birth to tiny caterpillars? I'm curious.

*EDIT* lol, i think ZephAmp just answered that one for me.

 

[Terry D]

ZephAmp, Nice female black swallowtail.

Fyreflye, Although I'm not aware of any Lepidopterans that are live-bearers, all North American sp lay eggs. In addition- interestingly, all US butterfly larvae are plant-eaters except one- The harvester. The carnivorous caterpillar feeds on wooly aphids. It's in our area but remains another "jinx" sp for me to locate. A friend has found and photo'd several adults over the past few years.



Terry

 

[ZephAmp]

Here's a pic of the enclosure. At a friend's advice I have since added more parsley to encourage laying.