Family: Papilionidae, Swallowtails view all from this family
Description A common swallowtail butterfly of western North
America. Both the upper and lower sides of its wings are black,
but the upper wing has a broad yellow stripe across it, which
gives the butterfly an overall yellow appearance. There are
striking blue spots on the rear edge of the rear wing, and the
characteristic tails of the swallowtails. Its wingspan is 7–9
cm. Its body is somewhat shorter than the rather similar Western
Tiger Swallowtail, with which its range overlaps; it also lacks
the black stripes, converging toward the tail, of the latter.
There is a somewhat darker subspecies, Papilio zelicaon nitra,
which is rare throughout the range, though somewhat more often
found at lower elevations. Dimensions 2 5/8-3" (67-76 mm).
Habitat Canyons & caves, Alpine & subalpine habitats, Forests &
woodlands, Grasslands & prairies, Deserts, Meadows & fields,
Cities, suburbs & towns, Scrub, shrub & brushlands, Freshwater
swamps, marshes & bogs, Shor