This attractive butterfly will soon be seen in Grand Harbor.  I have notice them starting in April and throughout the summer. Some gardeners consider them quite the pest because of their voracious appetite for parsley, dill and fennel.  Males like to perch on low vegetation and defend a territory. Courtship usually takes place in the afternoon and adults roost overnight on vegetation that has late afternoon sun.

The black color of the adult swallowtails serves as an aid to warm up in the sun. The male has a wide row of yellow spots on both the underside and upper side of the wings. The female yellow spots are narrower and she has expanded blue areas on the hind wings. The caterpillars are a white-ish green with black, yellow and orange spots.

It lives two to three weeks. The swallowtail on its hindwing is said to divert birds’ attention away from the butterfly’s head. When feeding they usually have their wing open if the flower will support their weight.

Don Morris