Is the eastern tiger swallowtail heterotroph?

Answer 1

Yes, the eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) is a heterotroph. As a butterfly, it cannot produce its own food through photosynthesis like plants do; instead, it relies on consuming organic substances, primarily nectar from flowers, as well as other plant materials and, during its larval stage, leaves from host plants. This reliance on other organisms for energy and nutrients classifies it as a heterotrophic organism.