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.