The Exquisite Butterfly

June brings many wonders

June brings many wonders. In the insect world few are more delightful than the arrival of the gay and debonair yellow swallow-tail butterfly. Skimming the tree tops gleefully, this flash of sunshine makes us take notice, as it contrasts vividly against the green of the trees.

The tiger swallow-tail is one of our most familiar butterflies, and its range over all the United States makes it an obvious candidate for the "national butterfly." It is found in the country or city, in the mountains, fields and forests.

The name tiger swallowtail refers to the black tiger-like vertical markings along the upper wings, the innermost one of which extends through the lower wings. Swallowtail applies to the long, narrow projections at the ends of the lower wings, suggestive of the pointed tail of the swallow. In addition to the yellow and black coloring, there are bright orange and blue spots on the bottom wings that make it more colorful at close range than it appears in flight.

A roamer of the tree tops, Papilio turunus is a strong, swift flier and an aerial acrobat of distinction. It is one of the most difficult butterflies to capture; even when it alights on a flower to feed, it often keeps vibrating its wings steadily, as if ready to take flight at the sudden approach of danger. Occasionally it will dive into the funnel of the tawny daylily, and it is then that it is easily imprisoned. The legs and body of the lovely creature you withdraw will be covered with powdery yellow pollen.

To see the tiger swallow-tail feeding on a clump of blue delphinium is indeed a beautiful sight. Whether motionless or vibrating its wings, the bright yellow on a background of blue in the brilliance of the sunshine is not easily forgotten.

The larva of Papilio is a foreboding creature. A dark green color, the front part of the body is large, and has a stripe of yellow and black across the back. Two curious greenish yellow spots in front of the stripes, enclosed with a purple spot, look like real eyes. The caterpillar weaves a silk carpet on the leaf on which to rest when not feeding. The chrysalis which follows is brown and greenish-brown, and is held in place on the twig with silk thread.

The green or greenish blue eggs are laid on the leaves of cherry, wild or cultivated, but because of the wide range of this butterfly, many other trees and shrubs are selected. There are two broods, the last wintering in the chrysalis stage.

by: Thomas Fryd

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