Schaus Swallowtail

The Schaus swallowtail, Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus (Schaus), is a large brown and yellow butterfly endemic to Florida; additional subspecies occur in the Bahamas, Hispaniola, and Cuba. The butterfly is restricted to intact tropical hardwood hammocks and their associated margins.

The Schaus swallowtail was listed as a federal threatened species on April 28, 1976. It was reclassified as a federal endangered species on August 31, 1984, following several years of additional population declines. Current population estimates range between 800 and 1200 individuals.

Schaus Swallowtail