Last week I spotted multiple Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies (Papilio glaucus) as I was hiking along forested trails in Prince William County, Virginia, searching primarily for dragonflies. For some reason, I tend to associate these butterflies, which happen to be the state insect for Virginia, with gardens more than forests.
However, according to the Prince William Conservation Alliance website, “Tiger Swallowtails are commonly found in deciduous woodlands and along their borders, including parks and neighborhoods, where they feed on the nectar of wild and garden flowers from Spring through Fall.”
Eastern Tiger Swallowtails are quite common in my area, but I am always delighted to see their bright colors as they flutter through the air. April is a kind of transitional month here weatherwise, with wildly variable temperatures. Later this week, for example, the forecast predicts high temperatures of up to 93 degrees (34 degrees C). Yikes!
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Leave a comment