In recent weeks there has been a dramatic increase in the number of butterflies afield, most notably battus philenor aka Pipevine Swallowtail. Every year I’m amazed at how many of these uniquely colored butterflies grace our area, especially considering that I don’t see (or notice) an abundance of their host plant – pipevine or aristolochia Californica, in our area (but then I haven’t looked very hard for it either).
The large yellow zebra and tiger swallowtails (western tiger swallowtail locally) are the best known of this butterfly type, but Pipevine swallowtail is much more numerous here, especially in early spring. Their range is actually quite extensive, covering the entire southern half of the country from coast to coast. In the lowlands of Mexico adults can be found flying year-round.
B. philenor is a nectar drinker, preferring such California native flowers as lupines, California buckeye and yerba santa. The status of Pipevine swallowtails is good and they are generally not considered to be of elevated conservation concern. Right now they can be best found in the grassy hillsides of Upper Bidwell Park and other similar local habitats.
photo by Troy Bartlett
No comments:
Post a Comment