I had zero pawpaw at my first house but had regular visitation from ZSTs. If there were pawpaws anywhere near me, I never found them.

At my current house, I have 3 small pawpaws I planted. I've seen only one ZST, and that was before I planted my trees. The woods that adjoin my property do have multiple pawpaws.

Neighbor across the street has a fairly large pawpaw and tells me that he regularly sees ZSTs flying around. Of course they are never around when I visit.

KC

I wonder if the park intends to keep the pawpaws. It sounds like they burned them to the ground and they resprouted, and they may try to get rid of them again.
Is there someone you could ask? If they're going to burn them again, I think you should get permission to bring some eggs and cats home to put on your pawpaws.

KC - That must be frustrating that the Zebras only have to wander across the street but haven't found your trees yet. I'm a little less hopeful about seeing them in my yard now. I planted two little trees in the fall of 2010 and some more seeds a couple weeks ago. I've never seen a Zebra Swallowtail in my yard.

I don't understand Zebra Swallowtails, Tom. I've only gotten eggs on my pawpaws - Asimina triloba - once, and it was the biggest failure I've ever had. I only raised two successfully to adulthood.
If you find cats on the park pawpaws, you could bring some home and raise them on yours.
I know that zebra swallowtails aren't common anywhere, and maybe this is why - they don't make good choices! :0
Sherry

Christie,
I sorta take the ZST sightings across the street with a grain of salt. They have raised monarchs since before I moved in in 2005, so they are not newbies. OTOH, I have no clue whether they know the differences between the different types of swallowtails we get around here. I'm not going to quiz them since they let me use their walnut tree leaves. Experience has taught me to keep my mouth shut when people have something I want. :D

Sherry,
I was down in southern Ohio in early May 2009 for a butterfly tour. It rained so I saw very few butterflies but when the rain stopped, ZSTs were out in force, lots and lots of them. Of the available nectar choices, they preferred hoary puccoon.

Christie, the controlled burn is to kill off the non-native vegetation. The paw paws are native. They have very deep tap roots and sprout back up readily after a burn.

I have tried transplanting some cats on my paw paws, Sherry. No success. I'm going to plant more of the natives and see what happens. I have no problem finding seeds. It just takes them so long to grow.

Hmm, come think of it Tom, I don't think I have ever had a zebra swallowtail visit my yard either. I have zero luck with paw paw's but my yard is full of other host and nectar plants.

Sounds like a nice walk in the park.

Kathy