iNat record from July 2024, Zebra Swallowtail in Gloucester

[Josh]

Howdy folks,

I stumbled across an interesting record on iNat yesterday, a Zebra Swallowtail in Gloucester the July before last:

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/229520413

One of the butterfly’s tails is broken off, but the other one is beautifully pristine and unworn, so the critter likely emerged locally. Presumably somebody around there bought some PawPaw that had been recently imported from further south, and one or more of the plants came with a free bonus egg or caterpillar on it. Or else someone smuggled a caterpillar or chrysalis up here intentionally? I don’t recall having ever seen this species in a butterfly house like Magic Wings, and it doesn’t look like they travel under their own power further north than central NJ or PA.

Josh



Joshua S. Rose, Ph.D.
Amherst, MA
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/opihiman
https://www.facebook.com/opihi

Writer/compiler, Bird Observer
https://www.birdobserver.org/

Columnist, “Earth Matters”
https://www.gazettenet.com/search?bodysearch=earth+matters
https://www.hitchcockcenter.org/category/earth-matters/

Vice-president, Hampshire Bird Club
https://hampshirebirdclub.org/

Northeast Chapter head, Dragonfly Society of the Americas
https://www.dragonflysocietyamericas.org/northeastdsa

[Steven Whitebread]

Hi Josh,

This is a worn specimen, equally so on both sides (except for the loss
of one tail), and could indeed have been a wanderer from the south. On
Bamona, there is an example from Essex County observed 16 Jun 2004 (Rick
Heil, confirmed Sharon Stichter). With warmer summers, these odd
sightings are likely to become more regular. Of course, we will never
know for certain how this individual came to be in Gloucester, but it is
good that it has been recorded.

Steven

[(Jeff) Boettner]

Hi Josh and all, 

       I like the idea that it came from a plant from the south. Pawpaw is becoming popular in our area. I have seen plantings in Buckland and Greenfield recently and I have 3 in Shelburne Falls. Would be easy to move eggs or larvae, (although mine came bare root so not as likely). 

        An interesting sighting. 

         Jeff Boettner

On Mon, Mar 30, 2026 at 10:35 AM Steven Whitebread <whitebr...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Josh,

This is a worn specimen, equally so on both sides (except for the loss
of one tail), and could indeed have been a wanderer from the south. On
Bamona, there is an example from Essex County observed 16 Jun 2004 (Rick
Heil, confirmed Sharon Stichter). With warmer summers, these odd
sightings are likely to become more regular. Of course, we will never
know for certain how this individual came to be in Gloucester, but it is
good that it has been recorded.

Steven

On 30/03/2026 13:28, Josh wrote:
> Howdy folks,
>
> I stumbled across an interesting record on iNat yesterday, a Zebra Swallowtail in Gloucester the July before last:
>

> https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.inaturalist.org%2Fobservations%2F229520413&data=05%7C02%7Cboettner%40psis.umass.edu%7C746df170be8a43705dea08de8e693cc1%7C7bd08b0b33954dc194bbd0b2e56a497f%7C0%7C0%7C639104781295789582%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C40000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=3aklbDSsdSQzYq7O%2B08YdRTi33FHvtqlxQUpakQD9g8%3D&reserved=0

>
> One of the butterfly’s tails is broken off, but the other one is beautifully pristine and unworn, so the critter likely emerged locally. Presumably somebody around there bought some PawPaw that had been recently imported from further south, and one or more of the plants came with a free bonus egg or caterpillar on it. Or else someone smuggled a caterpillar or chrysalis up here intentionally? I don’t recall having ever seen this species in a butterfly house like Magic Wings, and it doesn’t look like they travel under their own power further north than central NJ or PA.
>
> Josh
>
>
>
> Joshua S. Rose, Ph.D.
> Amherst, MA

> https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.inaturalist.org%2Fobservations%2Fopihiman&data=05%7C02%7Cboettner%40psis.umass.edu%7C746df170be8a43705dea08de8e693cc1%7C7bd08b0b33954dc194bbd0b2e56a497f%7C0%7C0%7C639104781295859135%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C40000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=MMYYDc3eVlnPc8ekeM2rgem33UG8mT2xV3Y6RU9Wmpo%3D&reserved=0
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> Writer/compiler, Bird Observer
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>
> Columnist, “Earth Matters”
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> Vice-president, Hampshire Bird Club
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>
> Northeast Chapter head, Dragonfly Society of the Americas

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