I've seen both male and female tiger swallowtails here lately, so I've been looking for eggs/cats with no success. Until late this evening, that is. I was really looking for red-spotted purple eggs on a small cherry tree that I know they're fond of using, when I found the hatchling. I'm glad to find it, because we're supposed to have stormy weather, maybe severely so, tonight and tomorrow. This little thing is eating its egg shell right now.

I saw a big, beautiful red-spotted purple today with bigger and more than the usual red spots on the end of the top side of her forewings. She may be the daughter of one I raised last year, that also has the prominent red spots. I was hoping the one I saw today had mated, and apparently she has - she was close to this cherry tree. I'll be watching the eggs, and after they hatch, I'll bring them in to raise.

Here's a picture of last years' big, multiple red-spotted RSP before I released her -

{{gwi:464337}}

Sherry