North American Butterflies and Moths List

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Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of Oregon

Old World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)
JPG -- species photo

Old World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon Linnaeus)

Wing span: 2 1/2 - 3 inches (6.5 - 7.5 cm).

Identification: Upperside of hindwing near tail has reddish-orange eyespot with black along lower border touching inner edge of hindwing or at least not a centered eyespot.

Life history: Females lay eggs singly on the host plant, and newly-hatched caterpillars eat the leaves. Older caterpillars feeding on plants of the parsley family prefer to eat the flowers. Chrysalids overwinter.

Flight: In north, one flight in late May-July; two flights in south.

Caterpillar hosts: Sagebrushes (Artemisia species), including Arctic wormwood and wild tarragon, rarely plants in the parsley family.

Adult food: Flower nectar.

Habitat: Open hilltops, mountain meadows, tundra.

Range: Holarctic. In North America, south from Alaska to northern British Colombia, east across Canada to western Quebec. Southern British Colombia south through New Mexico.

Comments: Includes , P. oregonius and P. bairdii.

Conservation: Not noted as of concern, but is rare or uncommon.

Management needs: None noted.

The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.

References:


Opler, P. A. and V. Malikul. 1992. A field guide to eastern butterflies.

     Peterson field guide #4. Houghton-Mifflin Co., Boston. 396 pages, 48

     color plates.



Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford University Press,

     Stanford, Calif. 583 pages, 64 color plates.



Tilden, J. W. 1986. A field guide to western butterflies. Houghton-Mifflin Co.,

     Boston, Mass. 370 pages, 23 color plates.

Author: Jane M. Struttmann

State and Regional References:


Dornfeld, E. J. 1980. The Butterflies of Oregon. Forest Grove, 	Ore., Timber 

     Press.



Hinchliff, J. 1994. An atlas of Oregon Butterflies. Oregon State University

     Bookstore, Corvallis.



Hinchliff, J. 1994. The distribution of the butterflies of Oregon. Evergreen 

     Aurelians. Oregon State University Bookstore, Corvallis, 176 pp. + map. 



Opler, Paul A. 1999. Peterson Field Guide to Western Butterflies, revised 

     edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.



Stanford, R.E. and P.A. Opler. 1993. Atlas of Western USA Butterflies. 

     Privately published, Denver, Colo. 



Tilden, J.W. and A.C. Smith. 1986. A Field Guide to Western Butterflies. 

     Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.

Old World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)
distribution map
map legend

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