zebra swallowtail

noun

1. a swallowtail butterfly, Papilio marcellus, having black and greenish-white stripes on the wings.

Word History and Origins

Origin of zebra swallowtail¹

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95

Example Sentences

Among these alluring insects was a striking but uncommon zebra swallowtail, which supped at the tithonia and then moved to a zinnia.

From Washington Post

Where the meadow meets the woodland, Lawson has planted pawpaw trees, which feed the zebra swallowtail.

From Washington Post

Pawpaw is an attractive fruiting large shrub or tree and is the host plant of the zebra swallowtail.

From Washington Post

The foliage, moreover, is favored by the caterpillar of the zebra swallowtail, which is even prettier to my eyes than the tiger swallowtail.

From Washington Post

The Zebra Swallowtail is a southern butterfly found as far west as Texas and the Rocky Mountains and having its northern limits in a zone ranging approximately from Massachusetts to Nebraska.

From Project Gutenberg