Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Let's go for 4 butterflies in a row; here's an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail I met at Sourland Mountain Preserve last month. I'm pretty sure I've seen them earlier than this date, though this was my first picture of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail this season.

These butterflies are fairly common around here since their caterpillars eat plants in the rose and magnolia families, fairly common plants. Up here they go into a dormant state during winter, and if all goes well resume their lives in the spring.

This guy appeared to be mudpuddling, the term used when butterflies try and get nutrients like sodium and amino acids from mud, scat, or other sources.


May 27, 2021 at Sourland Mountain Preserve
Photo 133210510, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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