Hobbies And Interests
Description
Adult Western Tiger Swallowtails have a wingspan between 2 3/4 and 4 inches wide. Their wings are mostly yellow with patterns composed of black stripes. Four black stripes mark the upper wings, while the lower segment has a single line in the middle. All segments are fringed with a thick black line marked with smaller yellow segments. The lower wing segments are tailed and have very slight hints of blue and sometimes orange.
Habitat
The Western Tiger Swallowtail is a North American butterfly. You can find it throughout the United States in areas west of the Rocky Mountains and south to southern New Mexico and Baja California. In Canada, it occupies southern British Columbia, east from Vancouver Island through the lower Fraser River and into the Kootenay and Okanagan Valleys. The specific habitats these butterflies occupy are wooded areas near a water source.
Caterpillars
The caterpillar of this particular butterfly species is almost entirely green. Toward the head, however, are some yellow markings: a thin ring near the head and a pair of eye-shaped markings toward the tip. These caterpillars feed mainly on willow, poplar and birch trees. Other host plants include wild cherry and ash. While feeding on leaves, these caterpillars spin mats of webbing, which they use to rest on.
Flight Periods
Western Tiger Swallowtails are prevalent at different times of the year, depending on the region. In southern California, they fly in February. Washington State, on the other hand, sees them in May. At higher altitudes, typically mountainous areas, you'll find them in June and July.