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Disclaimer: This material is being kept online for historical purposes. Content is no longer being updated and may contain broken links. |
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Disclaimer: This material is being kept online for historical purposes. Content is no longer being updated and may contain broken links. |
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Santa Barbara Field Guides - Butterflies Lepidoptera Papilionidae Battus philenor Pipevine Swallowtail |
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Size:
Wingspread 3-4 in. Recognition: Medium/large; dark colored; upper surface of HW is iridescent bluish green with less extensive coloring on females; white spots around bottom of HW in males and also on FW edges of female; underside is dark with distinctive green iridescence and orange spots around HW. Flight period: Adults fly in spring and summer. Hostplants: Larvae of Pipevine Swallowtails feed on Pipevine (Aristolochia species), which does not grow natively south of Monterey County. Habitat: Found in a variety of open habitats such as open woodland, woodland edges, hillsides, desert areas, parks, roadsides, and riparian areas. Distribution: A rare stray to our area (its host plant does not occur here naturally). Breeding populations occur in the more humid parts of the southern US, with a disjunct population in northern California.  |