Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Papilio ("butterfly") glaucus ("glaucous")

Adult male Eastern Tiger Swallotail (Papilio glaucus) at Minnesota, USA - July 2024

Featured Subspecies: ?
Wingspan: 7.9-14cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A large and impressive member of the Swallowtails that is endemic to the USA, their host plants are usually trees including ash, cottonwood, magnolia and willows and is considered the most diverse feeding of the entire swallowtail family. As catepillars, they begin their life resembling bird droppings to deter avian predators, and also possesses the ability to expel foul smelling chemicals called terpenes.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Genus: Papilio
SUBSPECIES: ?

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Resident in the Eastern USA
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen in Minnesota and Illinois

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Papilio ("butterfly") rutulus ("red headed")

Adult Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus) at San Francisco, California - September 2022

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: ?  /  Length: 5.5cm  /  Wingspan: 7-10 cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A large and common swallowtail of the Western half of the USA and and small parts of Mexico and Canada. Their primary host plants are trees, in particular cottonwood, aspen, poplar, alder, ash and willow and as such they are often found in forest and parkland.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Genus: Papilio
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Breeds in the West including Alaska, Winters in South, Resident in thin strip along Pacific Coast
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at  San Francisco 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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