Day 247: The Pale Tigers are abundant this year, today fluttering through the yard by the dozen, investigating clover and peonies, checking out the hummingbird feeders. We called them "Zebra Swallowtails" when I was young, but of course that was an error. Our popular nomenclature was based solely on the "pale" portion of their correct name. Papilio eurymedon is not a Zebra. Zebras have longer tails and do not occur in the Pacific Northwest. But "pale" this species most certainly is, its lighter portions only faintly yellowish. Pale Tigers feed largely on Serviceberry and Red Alder in this area.
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