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| I've lurked on threads about butterflies like Gulf frits and Giant Swallowtails and always thought "I will never see that butterfly in my garden". So when I looked out in the back garden this morning, and saw a large yellow butterfly from a distance, I automatically assumed it was the common Eastern tiger swallowtail.
Then I went out to the garden, with the camera, and realized quickly "that's no ETS" - it was a DIFFERENT large yellow butterfly. Could it be a Giant Swallowtail??? Went inside and googled and quickly confirmed that it was Papilio cresphontes (I love saying that)! Apparently this is a very rare butterfly in Massachusetts. Here's a couple pics - they're not easy to photograph because they wiggle a lot. It was really loving the Monarda 'Claire Grace' and the Verbena bonariensis. Does any one know if this is a male or female? I have lots of Ruta graveolens!
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Follow-Up Postings:
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| That's a Giant, alright! What a beauty! |
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- Posted by caterwallin 6-PA (My Page) on Tue, Jul 31, 12 at 23:25
| Yay, congratulations on getting a Giant Swallowtail in your garden! That one is a female. Someone explained once before on here that the females have a black spot in the third yellow spot. Also, males have a broader yellow band across the top than females do. I hope that your GST lays some eggs on your rue. I absolutely love raising that kind of butterfly, more than any other with the exception of the Pipevine Swallowtail. Cathy |
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| Congratulations! I was so surprised when I saw one on vacation in upstate NY last summer. I assume there must have been Prickly Ash nearby! |
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| Oh gosh, I am SO excited about this butterfly! It's a female!! Cathy, I'm not sure exactly where the "black spot in the third yellow spot" is? I didn't actually observe her laying any eggs, but that doesn't mean she didn't. Ugh, I should really check the rue carefully (seeds came from you Cathy) but they are really bushy little plants, not easy to see eggs! Very tedious egg-hunting, I have tried to find BST eggs and cats and the only time I have found them is when I observed exactly where the female oviposited. Also found 2 5th instar cats this year on the rue. Monarch eggs are so much easier to find. Course the Rue is growing for the Black Swallowtails, NEVER thought I'd see a Giant. Such an exciting butterfly day! 3 Monarchs eclosed and I saw 2 wild ones in the garden too. |
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