Western Tiger Swallowtail

I know, I know, this is a butterfly, not a bird. But the Western Tiger Swallowtail is such a stunning site when they land close to you and just flutter about flowers in the heat of the day, I had to include in my blog so folks know they are seen in Aldea. They can take your breath away. And this one took mine. I was kind of in an awestruck trance.

This particular butterfly was very large so my conclusion is that it was a female, since they are larger than males. What a stunner! She stayed in the Walker’s Catmint for a good 45 minutes and allowed me to capture some great photos while studying her movements. 

I highly recommend planting catmint, milkweed, penstemon, thistle, or zinnias to attract the Western Tiger Swallowtail and then include some of the host plants close by so they can lay eggs. Cottonwoods, Aspens, Willows, Alder, Maple, Sycamore, and Ash are just some of the host plants that their caterpillars feed on. 

In the summer, it takes about ten to fifteen days for a caterpillar to change into an adult butterfly. This is the most common swallowtail observed in the west.

Click on photos to enlarge.