We have a nice clutch of eggs in the garden today!! This Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor), has laid the second set of eggs for the 2018 season today. 3/10/18 and we have a clutch count of 15 eggs. And just like the caterpillar, the eggs have spikes and nubs too! That is pretty neat!These were laid on Texas Native Aristolochia tomentosa (Woolly pipevine). It gets its name from the fuzz on the plant, and its flowers look like a smoking pipe.
As with all butterflies, native plants are important. But for the Pipevine Swallowtail, if a native is not used, it is deadly! Understanding & knowing Scientific names of plants is important for this very reason. If you don't use a native, once the eggs hatch & the caterpillars start to eat, they will die. This is because they aren't use to the toxic levels found in many exotic Aristolochia's.
Texas Native Aristolochia are:
Swan Flower (Aristolochia erecta)
Texas Snakeroot (Aristolochia serpentaria)
Texas Pipevine (Aristolochia coryi)
Woolly Pipevine (Aristolochia tomentosa)
Aristilochia reticulata
Aristilochia wrightii
Aristilochia watsonii
Other US Natives are:
Aristolochia californica
Aristolochia durior
Aristolochia macrophylla
Aristolochia trilobata
Non-native safe plants:
Aristochia fimbriata
aristolochia clematitis
