Nectaring

Day 268: One thing is certain: when the Philadelphus blooms, the Swallowtails will find it. However, this event has given rise to a puzzlement, and one for which I have no ready answer. Over the thirty years that I have lived here, I have had at least three species of Swallowtail in abundance, but very seldom have any two species appeared in the same year. This year is dominated by Papilio eurymedon, the Pale Swallowtail. It is characterized by its creamy-white colouration, noticeably lighter than the bright yellow of the Western Tiger Swallowtail. When the Philadelphus blooms, the Swallowtails flock to it in droves in preference to any other plant in my yard where they are frequently joined by the hummingbirds who also nectar at its flowers. Who can blame them? On warm evenings, the perfume of the tree carries well beyond the boundaries of my property, filling the neighbourhood with its scent.

Pale Swallowtail, Papilio Eurymedon

Day 238: Yesterday, I saw my first swallowtail of the season, making a bee-line...no, a butterfly-line straight to the lilac. They used to be abundant here, but over the last several years, their numbers have declined. Now admittedly, I only saw one, but that's up from last year's tally, and I hope it means that more will be arriving soon. They are particularly drawn to the lilac and to the delphiniums in my yard (the delphiniums are not yet in bloom). Other local hosts for this species (Pale Swallowtail, Papilio eurymedon) include Red Alder, Serviceberry and Oceanspray. The butterfly can be identified by orange and blue markings on the hind wings, and a slight twist to the "tail" of the wing.