Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) is in the Swallowtails and Parnassians family (Papilionidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 77,642 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in July.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: summer visitor / breeder. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Pipevine Swallowtail: observations by month (U.S.)
About Pipevine Swallowtail
Battus philenor, the pipevine swallowtail or blue swallowtail, is a swallowtail butterfly found in North America and Central America. This butterfly is black with iridescent-blue hindwings. They are found in many different habitats, but are most commonly found in forests. Caterpillars are often black or red, and feed on compatible plants of the genus Aristolochia. They are known for sequestering acids from the plants they feed on in order to defend themselves from predators by being...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Pipevine Swallowtail by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 32,040 | April | Mar–Jun |
| North Carolina | 6,686 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Tennessee | 5,557 | July | Apr–Sep |
| Arizona | 5,452 | September | Mar–Oct |
| Missouri | 2,835 | July | Apr–Sep |
| Virginia | 2,634 | July | Apr–Aug |
| Illinois | 2,429 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Florida | 2,056 | May | Mar–Oct |
| Arkansas | 1,909 | August | Apr–Sep |
| Alabama | 1,791 | September | Apr–Oct |
| Oklahoma | 1,720 | September | Apr–Oct |
| Ohio | 1,714 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Georgia | 1,447 | August | Apr–Sep |
| Kentucky | 1,358 | July | Apr–Sep |
| West Virginia | 1,282 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Louisiana | 979 | April | Mar–Oct |
| Indiana | 962 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Maryland | 691 | July | May–Sep |
| Mississippi | 625 | August | Mar–Oct |
| Pennsylvania | 577 | July | Jul–Sep |
| California | 569 | May | Mar–Jun |
| South Carolina | 497 | May | Apr–Sep |
| New York | 399 | July | Jul–Sep |
| Kansas | 254 | August | Jun–Oct |
| New Jersey | 232 | July | Jun–Sep |
| New Mexico | 227 | June | Mar–Sep |
| Delaware | 130 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Michigan | 127 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Wisconsin | 111 | July | Jun–Oct |
| District of Columbia | 91 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Massachusetts | 70 | August | Jun–Sep |
| Connecticut | 50 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Iowa | 28 | August | Jun–Aug |
| Colorado | 23 | July | Jun–Aug |
| New Hampshire | 23 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Maine | 17 | September | Jul–Sep |
| Rhode Island | 16 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Nevada | 13 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Nebraska | 12 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Minnesota | 6 | June | May–Jul |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related butterflies (Swallowtails and Parnassians)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Black Swallowtail
Spicebush Swallowtail
Eastern Giant Swallowtail
Western Tiger Swallowtail
Zebra Swallowtail
Anise Swallowtail
Western Giant Swallowtail
Photography tips
- Butterflies are sluggish on cool mornings — the best time for close approaches.
- Keep the sensor parallel to the wings for edge-to-edge sharpness.
- Nectar plants in bloom are reliable places to wait.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pipevine Swallowtail?
Nationally, July has the most observations, with the main season from March to October.
Where is Pipevine Swallowtail most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, North Carolina, Tennessee.