We have a number of different dark swallowtail butterflies in the area in which I live, which can make identification a little tricky. I spotted this beautiful butterfly last Friday at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge and believe that it is a Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio troilus). The perfect condition of its wings suggest to me that it has emerged quite recently—as we move deeper into summer, I often spot butterflies with tattered wings.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Perfectly lovely!
Thanks, Liz. Although I could post dragonflies and damselflies almost every day at this time of the year, I think that many people are more taken by the beauty of butterflies. Butterflies are kind of like sunsets–almost everyone loves photos of them, unlike my photos of snakes and spiders, where the audience reaction is much more mixed.
Your blog is endlessly fascinating whatever you post Mike! You’ve really honed your skills at dragonfly photography and few people take such beautifully detailed shots so I enjoy all of those very much, but I enjoy everything else too and we’ve also seen you post some wonderful flowers from your neighbour’s garden. So thanks for providing so much viewing pleasure!
Such a beauty! I thought at first that it might have been a Mourning Cloak, but I see that you’re right in your ID–as usual.
I had to look carefully at this one, Gary, because the Black Swallowtail looks a lot like this one. The Pipevine Swallowtail and the dark morph of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail look somewhat similar. Last weeks’s Red-spotted Purple and the Mourning Cloak were eliminated from consideration, because they do now have the “tails” that are so prominent in this photo.
It does appear to be in mint condition, Mike. Nice photo.
The ‘fresh’ ones always are so pretty. I thought of you yesterday when I came across a dragonfly that clearly had ‘been through the wringer.’ Still, with only about fifty percent of its wings left, it still was flying.
It is amazing how dragonflies, butterflies, and other insects manage to survive despite quite significant damage to their bodies and wings.
Great Image Mike! Always nice to photograph Butterflies when they are still in Nice Shape!
Thanks, Reed. I try to shoot them in all conditions. I am quite aware that I am not a perfect specimen, so I don’t hold it against the insects when they start to show their ages. 🙂
What a beauty!