Zebra swallowtail butterflies depend entirely on native pawpaw trees. Protecting one means protecting the other.
The zebra swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) is a specialist species whose caterpillars feed only on pawpaw leaves.
Pawpaws (Asimina triloba) are North America’s largest native fruit and the sole host plant for zebra swallowtails.
Habitat loss and forest fragmentation reduce pawpaw availability, directly impacting zebra swallowtail populations.
This interactive GIS map will display known pawpaw stands, sightings, and conservation areas.