Papilio indra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Papilio indra |
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| Grand Canyon swallowtail (P. i. kaibabensis) female | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Papilionidae |
| Genus: | Papilio |
| Species: |
P. indra
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| Binomial name | |
| Papilio indra Reakirt, 1866
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Papilio indra, commonly known as the Indra swallowtail, is a striking butterfly. People also call it the short-tailed black swallowtail or cliff swallowtail. It belongs to the large swallowtail butterfly family. An American scientist named Tryon Reakirt first described this neat insect back in 1866. This creature lives across many rugged landscapes in western North America.
Contents
What Does the Indra Swallowtail Look Like?
The Indra swallowtail is mostly black with stunning patterns. It has soft cream or pale yellow bands running across its wings. You will also see small, bright blue crescents on its hindwing. Its look is quite similar to the famous black swallowtail butterfly. It also resembles the northern short-tailed swallowtail.
Most swallowtails are famous for having long tails on their lower wings. In contrast, this species has very short nubs instead. Some types have almost no tails at all! This special wing shape helps them dodge hungry birds. Their dark colors also help them warm up fast under the bright sun.
Where Does the Cliff Swallowtail Live?
Natural Habitats and Altitudes
This insect makes its home in many different wild environments. It can live down near sea level along warm coasts. It can also thrive thousands of feet up in the mountains. You might spot one gliding near cities and small towns. More often, they prefer remote and wild places. They love high deserts, sunny prairies, and steep rocky canyons. People call them cliff swallowtails because they love craggy hillsides.
Geographic Range Across North America
The Indra swallowtail has a large home range across the continent.
- In the north, it lives in southern British Columbia.
- Along the coast, it flutters through Washington, Oregon, and California.
- Its range even stretches into Baja California, Mexico.
- Across the interior, it thrives near the rocky Rockies.
- Populations live in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Nevada.
- Hikers also spot them across Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.
- A few rare butterflies have appeared in Nebraska and South Dakota.
Life Cycle and Flight Behavior
Flying Seasons and Hilltopping
Adult butterflies fly during the warmest months of the year. They produce only one brood of young each season. In warm southern valleys, they start flying in early spring. In high, chilly mountains, they wait until early summer. Male butterflies practice a cool behavior called hilltopping. They fly up to the very tops of desert ridges. There, they perch on rocks and look for mates. They defend their perches from other flying insects.
Favorite Food Plants for Caterpillars
Like all butterflies, this species undergoes an amazing transformation. Female butterflies lay tiny eggs on healthy host plants. When the eggs hatch, hungry caterpillars emerge to feed. The caterpillars eat plants in the carrot and parsley family. Their favorites include wild desert parsley and hardy wild carrot. These plants give the growing caterpillars nutrients to grow strong. Soon, each caterpillar forms a chrysalis to rest. Inside this shell, it transforms into an adult butterfly.
Subspecies Around the West
Because these butterflies live on isolated mountain tops, different groups developed unique looks. Scientists currently recognize several subspecies of the Indra swallowtail:
- P. i. calcicola
- P. i. fordi
- P. i. indra
- P. i. kaibabensis
- P. i. martini
- P. i. minori
- P. i. nevadensis
- P. i. panamintensis
- P. i. pygmaeus
- P. i. pergamus
- P. i. phyllisae
- P. i. shastensis
