black swallowtail
noun
: a usually dark-colored New World swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) having yellow spots on the wing margins and a black spot centered within a larger orange spot on the hind wing inner edge
Examples of black swallowtail in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For example, some swallowtail butterflies, particularly the black swallowtail, use plants in the parsley family as host plants.
—
Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2024
If that weren’t enough, dill serves as a host plant to larvae of the gorgeous black swallowtail butterfly.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 28 June 2024
Swallowtail butterflies: In May, the Insect calendar noted that yellow and black swallowtail butterflies may be sighted on citrus trees.
—Abigail Celaya, The Arizona Republic, 4 May 2024
Vasas and her colleagues also captured the brief startle display of a black swallowtail caterpillar and saw for the first time that its hornlike defense appendages are UV-reflective.
—Lauren Leffer, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2024
Like the black swallowtail is a specialist on the carrot family.
—Emily Underwood, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Sep. 2023
Other action includes black swallowtails harvesting nectar from horesherb and seeking out nesting sites on dill or parsley, which the caterpillars will eat very quickly.
—Calvin Finch, San Antonio Express-News, 28 Apr. 2023
Seems to be a black swallowtail.
—Ellen Nibali, baltimoresun.com, 6 Aug. 2020
In July, the butterflies finally arrived: tiger swallowtail, monarch, black swallowtail, and cloudless sulphur.
—Lauren Matison, Outside Online, 12 Oct. 2022
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2024
If that weren’t enough, dill serves as a host plant to larvae of the gorgeous black swallowtail butterfly.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 28 June 2024
Swallowtail butterflies: In May, the Insect calendar noted that yellow and black swallowtail butterflies may be sighted on citrus trees.
—Abigail Celaya, The Arizona Republic, 4 May 2024
Vasas and her colleagues also captured the brief startle display of a black swallowtail caterpillar and saw for the first time that its hornlike defense appendages are UV-reflective.
—Lauren Leffer, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2024
Like the black swallowtail is a specialist on the carrot family.
—Emily Underwood, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Sep. 2023
Other action includes black swallowtails harvesting nectar from horesherb and seeking out nesting sites on dill or parsley, which the caterpillars will eat very quickly.
—Calvin Finch, San Antonio Express-News, 28 Apr. 2023
Seems to be a black swallowtail.
—Ellen Nibali, baltimoresun.com, 6 Aug. 2020
In July, the butterflies finally arrived: tiger swallowtail, monarch, black swallowtail, and cloudless sulphur.
—Lauren Matison, Outside Online, 12 Oct. 2022
Dictionary Entries Near black swallowtail
Cite this Entry
“Black swallowtail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black%20swallowtail. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share