I was excited to spot this beautiful Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio glaucus) on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Most years I spot lots of these butterflies, but for some reason I have not seen one in quite some time this summer.
I love the beautiful coloration of this Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and believe that it is a female. Males of this species are almost exclusively yellow and black, while females are more vividly colored, with strongly pronounced cells of orange and a greater degree of iridescent blue on the lower wings.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Another blogger, Dwight Roth, took a picture of the same breed of butterfly—a piece of her had been bitten off (perhaps by a bird) and she was still flying. I admire their beauty and tenacity!
Late in the season a lot of the butterflies(and dragonflies) that I see have tattered wings and I marvel at the way that they still manage to fly about. I always wonder about the damage and wonder if it is normal wear and tear or, as you mentioned, it is caused by a predator.
Certainly a beauty.
Thanks.