Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly

Despite its common name, when given a choice the female spicebush swallowtail butterfly will most often choose sassafras as the host plant and food source for its larvae, even when spicebush is in close proximity. Adults gather nectar from a variety of sources including mimosa trees, Japanese honeysuckle, milkweed, lantana, azalea, and other ornamental plants. While on feeding forays, fertilized females will frequently visit food or host plants to lay a single egg on the underside of a leaf.