I was absolutely thrilled last week to spot this Zebra Swallowtail butterfly (Eurytides marcellus) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Zebra Swallowtails overwinter winter in the chrysalis (cocoon) stage before emerging as adult butterflies in the spring. A second brood is born later in the year and they are the ones that lay the eggs that develop into the caterpillars that will enter into cocoons and hibernate throughout the winter.
I love the beautiful colors of this butterfly, with its zebra-like stripes and pops of red and blue—I often think of the Zebra Swallowtail as a “patriotic” butterfly, because of its red, white, and blur coloration..
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
It’s beautiful.
Thanks!
I’ve never seen a Zebra Swallowtail before, and I didn’t see too many butterflies at all last year. I’m hoping this year brings more butterfly moments.
Best wishes for many butterflies this year for you. I was a bit shocked to spot so many different species this early in the season. I tend to judge the butterfly seasons by the number of Monarch butterflies that I see, and I have not seen very many in recent years.