Western Tiger Swallowtail

Sipping nectar from Western Azalea

Western Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio rutulus
Family: Papilionidae
Subfamily: Papilioninae

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

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

Chrysalis

Sipping nectar from Western Azalea

Adult Food: Nectar from many flowers including thistles, abelia, California buckeye, zinnia, and yerba santa.


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

Puddling

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.










Caterpillar and chrysalis photos from web.