Western Tiger Swallowtail

I have seen this butterfly at various places in San Diego. One of the more memorable encounters happened a few years ago at San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas.

A Western Tiger Swallowtail landed on a piece of paper that I was holding. It stayed there completely motionless for a few seconds, then fluttered away. Awesome!

I've seen two Eastern Tiger Swallowtails in my backyard in the last two weeks, I can't remember seeing one here before. They are absolutely gorgeous! I have a wild cherry tree, so I hope one of them left some eggs on it for my enjoyment next year.

Wing span: 2 3/4 - 4 inches (7 - 10 cm).

Identification: Upperside of hindwing with upper-most marginal spot yellow or lacking. Underside of forewing with separate yellow spots forming marginal band. Hindwing has narrow marginal spots and no orange tint except for 2 spots near end of inner margin.

Life history: Males patrol canyons or hilltops for receptive females. Females lay eggs singly on surface of host plant leaves. Caterpillars feed on leaves and rest on silken mats in shelters of curled leaves. Chrysalids hibernate.

Flight: One flight from June-July.

Caterpillar hosts: Leaves of cottonwood and aspen (Populus), willows (Salix), wild cherry (Prunus), and ash (Fraxinus).

Adult food: Nectar from many flowers inc... read moreluding thistles, abelia, California buckeye, zinnia, and yerba santa.

Habitat: Woodlands near rivers and streams, wooded suburbs, canyons, parks, roadsides, and oases.

Range: Western North America from British Columbia south to southern New Mexico and Baja California; east to western South Dakota and southeast Colorado. A rare stray to central Nebraska.