Midwest Wilderness Connections Eco-brief: Spicebush Swallowtail

The spicebush swallowtail is a mimic of the poisonous pipevine swallow tail. The spicebush swallowtail frequents habitats that are wooded to open and savanna-like with a great deal of plant diversity. Breeding habitat consists of areas with a high diversity of specific larval food resources, such as Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), sassafras (Sassafras albidum); tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana), camphor (Cinnamomum camphora), and redbay (Persea borbonia). The spicebush is transient and may visit urban areas to feed on floral resources, but doesn't typically reproduce in those areas. Thus, it is important to pinpoint important breeding habitat for this species to ensure its persistence in local backyards.