North American Butterflies and Moths List

The definitive website on wildbirds & nature




The Registry of Nature Habitats

U.S. Geological Survey


Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of Washington

Pale Swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon)
JPG -- species photo

Pale Swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon Lucas)

Wing span: 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 inches (6.4 - 9 cm).

Identification: Upper surface of wings creamy white with black stripes. Front wing is narrow and pointed; tail of hindwing is long, slender and twisted.

Life history: Males perch and patrol for receptive females. Females lay eggs singly on host plant leaves. Caterpillars feed on leaves and rest on silken mats in shelters of curled leaves. Pupae hibernate.

Flight: One flight from April-July, many flights in southern California from March-August.

Caterpillar hosts: Trees and shrubs in the Rosaceae, Rhamnaceae and Betulaceae families including cherry (Prunus emarginata), coffee-berry (Rhamnus californica), and ash (Fraxinus spp.).

Adult food: Flower nectar including California buckeye, yerba santa, and wallflower.

Habitat: Foothills, open woodlands, chaparral, streamsides.

Range: British Columbia east to Montana, south to New Mexico. California and Baja California.

Conservation: Not usually required.

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:


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:


Hinchliff, J. 1996. The Distribution of the Butterflies of Washington. 

     Evergreen Aurelians. Oregon State University Bookstore, Corvallis.



Layberry, R.A., Hall, P.W. & Lafontaine, D.J., 1998.  The Butterflies of 

     Canada.  University of Toronto Press, Toronto, ON.  280 pp. 

     

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

     edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.



Pyle, R.M. 1974. Watching Washington Butterflies. Seattle Audubon Society, 

     Seattle, Wash.



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.

Pale Swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon)
distribution map
map legend

Disclaimer
Return to species list
Return to Butterflies of North America main page