Papilio eurymedon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Papilio eurymedon |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Papilionidae |
| Genus: | Papilio |
| Species: |
P. eurymedon
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| Binomial name | |
| Papilio eurymedon H. Lucas, 1852
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The pale swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon) is a large, beautiful swallowtail butterfly. People also call it the pallid swallowtail. The French scientist Hippolyte Lucas wrote the first scientific description in 1852. This insect is famous for its creamy white wings and bold black stripes. It lives across western North America. You can often spot it fluttering through mountain valleys, sunny glades, and even city parks.
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What Does the Pale Swallowtail Butterfly Look Like?
Adult pale swallowtails are large insects. Their wingspan usually measures between 3.5 and 4.5 inches (9 to 11 centimeters) across. They look very similar to the related western tiger swallowtail. However, there is an easy way to tell them apart. Western tiger swallowtails are bright yellow. In contrast, pale swallowtails are creamy white or very light yellow.
Their wings have thick black bands that look like tiger stripes. These dark bands are wider than those on other swallowtail species. The bottom edges of their hindwings have lovely red-orange and blue spots. A long, slender tail extends from each hindwing. These tails look like the tail feathers of swallow birds. Because of these tails, the entire family gets the name swallowtail.
Where Does the Pale Swallowtail Butterfly Live?
These butterflies make their homes throughout western North America. Along the coast, they live from northern Baja California up into British Columbia. Inland, they spread across states like Montana, Wyoming, and northern New Mexico. You can even spot them in the Black Hills of South Dakota. They are rarely found in dry regions like Nevada or western Utah.
Pale swallowtails love places with plenty of sunshine and water. You will often see them flying near ponds, rivers, and woodland streams. They also visit gardens, urban parks, and quiet neighborhood backyards.
Mud-Puddling Parties
Male butterflies take part in an exciting social behavior called mud-puddling. Dozens of males often gather on moist dirt near creeks and puddles. They use their long mouthparts to drink mineral-rich water from damp mud. These minerals give the males extra nutrients and energy for mating. Sometimes they join other butterfly species at the same puddle.
Life Cycle and Incredible Metamorphosis
The life of a pale swallowtail butterfly includes four amazing stages. These stages are the egg, the caterpillar, the pupa, and the winged adult. Across most inland areas, they produce one family brood each year. Along the warm Pacific coast, they can produce two or more broods.
The Egg and Caterpillar Stage
Adult males fly through clearings looking for female mates. After mating, the female searches for the right host plants. She lays her round eggs singly on fresh leaves. Caterpillars eat leaves from plants like Ceanothus, which includes buckbrush and mountain lilac. They also munch on mountain balm, red alder, ocean spray, bitter cherry, and serviceberry.
The young caterpillar spins a flat mat out of silk on a leaf. It rests there safely inside a curled leaf shelter. As it grows, the caterpillar turns plump and bright green. A neat yellow band wraps right behind its thorax. It features large, colorful eye-shaped spots on its back. These fake eyes fool birds into thinking the caterpillar is a dangerous snake.
If a hungry predator comes too close, the caterpillar uses a secret weapon. It pops out a bright red, forked organ called an osmeterium. This smelly organ shoots up right behind its head. It releases a foul odor that drives hungry birds away. Before its final moult, the caterpillar changes from green to dull brown.
The Pupa and Hibernation
When it is time to transform, the caterpillar becomes a brown pupa. The pupa looks just like a dry piece of tree bark. To stay safe, the insect uses sticky silk threads. It anchors its tail to a branch and leans upward in a silk sling. The pupa stays in this spot all winter long, resting through the cold months. When warm spring weather arrives in April, a brand new butterfly emerges.
