Saturday, July 17, 2010

SkyWatch: Swallowtails

Since the start of summer I have been seeing more large butterflies, especially Monarchs and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails. So far I have mostly seen male swallowtails, such as this one nectaring at a neighbor's butterfly bush, but presumably some females are around or about to emerge.

This swallowtail looks worse for wear. It must have had a narrow escape from a bird while its wings were folded, as large chunks are missing from both hindwings.

Photos links to larger images on Flickr.