Western tiger swallowtail is a swallowtail butterfly belonging to the Papilionidae family. This common species is present in western North America. The normal range of the western tiger swallowtail covers much of western North America, from British Columbia to North Dakota in the north to Baja California and New Mexico in the south. These large butterflies are brightly colored. The wings are yellow with black stripes and blue and orange spots near their tail. They have the “tails” on the hindwings that are often found in swallowtails. They are very active butterflies, rarely seen at rest. The caterpillars can feed on the leaves of a variety of trees, and the predominant food plant varies across their range; trees commonly used include cottonwood, willow, quaking aspen, and many others. Western tiger swallowtail is a large butterfly and brightly colored so you can see them from afar. I enjoyed watching them flying around.
西部虎鳳蝶是鳳蝶科的成員。西部虎鳳蝶主要存在於北美西部。它通常活動的範圍涵蓋北美西部的大多地區，從北部的不列顛哥倫比亞省到北達科他州，到南部的下加利福尼亞州和新墨西哥州。這些大蝴蝶顏色鮮豔，翅膀為黃色，黑色條紋，尾巴附近有藍色和橙色斑點，它們的後翅上有“尾巴”，通常出現在鳳蝶中。它們是非常活躍的蝴蝶，很少休息。毛毛蟲以各種樹木的葉子為食，樹木種類包括棉白楊，柳樹，顫楊等。西部虎鳳蝶是一種大型蝴蝶，顏色鮮豔，從老遠就能看到它們。我很喜歡看它們到處飛舞。
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Notes 筆記
- Western tiger swallowtail (Papilio rutulus) is a member of the genus Papilio. It is a swallowtail butterfly belonging to the Papilionidae family. The species was first described by Hippolyte Lucas in 1852. It was formerly classified in genus Pterourus.
- This common species is present in western North America. The normal range of the western tiger swallowtail covers much of western North America, from British Columbia to North Dakota in the north to Baja California and New Mexico in the south.
- Papilio rutulus can reach a wingspan of 7 to 10 cm (3 to 4 in). These large butterflies are brightly colored. The wings are yellow with black stripes and blue and orange spots near their tail. They have the “tails” on the hindwings that are often found in swallowtails.
- Young caterpillars resemble bird droppings, and as they molt, they eventually turn bright green, with a pair of large yellow eyespots with black and blue pupils. The chrysalis is green in summer and dark brown in winter, and looks like a piece of wood.
- Butterflies emerge from winter chrysalids between February and May, the date depending on the temperature. They are very active butterflies, rarely seen at rest. The adult females lay up to a hundred eggs in total. The eggs are deep green, shiny, and spherical. They are laid singly, on the undersides of leaves.
- The caterpillars emerge about four days later. They can feed on the leaves of a variety of trees, and the predominant food plant varies across their range; trees commonly used include cottonwood, willow, quaking aspen, and many others.
- The males often congregate, along with other species of swallowtail, at pools and along streams and rivers; they drink from the water and mud, extracting minerals, as well as moisture.
- 西部虎鳳蝶是鳳蝶屬鳳蝶科的成員。它最早由 Hippolyte Lucas 於1852年描述介绍出來。它以前被歸類為美洲鳳蝶亞屬。
- 西部虎鳳蝶主要存在於北美西部。它通常活動的範圍涵蓋北美西部的大多地區，從北部的不列顛哥倫比亞省到北達科他州，到南部的下加利福尼亞州和新墨西哥州。
- 西部虎鳳蝶翼展可達7至10公分（3至4英寸）。這些大蝴蝶顏色鮮豔，翅膀為黃色，黑色條紋，尾巴附近有藍色和橙色斑點，它們的後翅上有“尾巴”，通常出現在鳳蝶中。
- 當它們蛻皮時，幼年的毛毛蟲像鳥糞一樣，它們最終會變成鮮綠色，並有一對黑色和藍色瞳孔般的大黃色斑點。蛹在夏天是綠色的，在冬天是深棕色的，看起來像一塊木頭。
- 蝴蝶在二月至五月之間從冬蛹中生出，日期取決於溫度。它們是非常活躍的蝴蝶，很少休息。成年雌性最多可產下一百個卵。卵是深綠色，有光澤，球形。它們一個個產出在葉子的下面。
- 毛毛蟲大約四天后出現。它們以各種樹木的葉子為食，樹木種類包括棉白楊，柳樹，顫楊等。
- 雄的西部虎鳳蝶經常與其他鳳蝶一起聚集在水池，溪流和河流旁。它們從水和泥中飲取礦物質和水分。
Insects Posts 昆蟲的帖子
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Papilio rutulus