Family: Papilionidae, Swallowtails view all from this family

Description The Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes sometimes called the Laurel Swallowtail) is a North American butterfly in the family Papilionidae.

The upper side of the wings is blackish-brown with both wings having a yellow postmedian band and a yellow submarginal band.There is a yellow bar at the end of the fore wing cell. The underside of the wings is black with the fore wing having a yellow postmedian band and a yellow submarginal band. The hind wing has a few colored bands; the first being cream; the second, orange; the third, blue; and the fourth, orange. There is a yellow streak on the inner margin of the hind wing which runs parallel to the body. The wingspan ranges from 4O to 5⅛ inches.

Dimensions 3 1/8-5 1/2" (79-140 mm).

Habitat Forests & woodlands, Meadows & fields, Freshwater swamps, marshes & bogs.

Range Great Lakes, Rocky Mountains, Mid-Atlantic, Plains, Texas, Southeast, Florida, Southwest.