Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
Facts about the tiger swallowtail: Habitat: forest openings, woodland edges, gardens, and fields. Flight period: April to August. Area of Ohio: The tiger swallowtail is found statewide but more common in the forest regions of Ohio.
Points of interest: this swallowtail gets its name from its tiger-like appearance. However, the female may be a dark from making the dark tiger-like stripes almost invisible. This form is rare north of Columbus. Populations of the tiger swallowtail in southern Ohio are 50 percent dark females. The tiger swallowtail’s larvae feed on yellow poplar, wild cherry, and a host of other broadleaf trees. This is the most common swallowtail butterfly in Ohio. They love to sip mineral salts from mud puddles forming “puddle clubs”. Like most swallowtails they are very strong fliers. source Ohio DNR Wildlife Guide