Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus

One of the most familiar butterflies in eastern North America, this swallowtail displays remarkable sexual dimorphism in females. Some are yellow like males, but others are almost completely black, creating two distinct color forms within the same species. Males are unmistakable: yellow wings with four distinctive black 'tiger stripes' on each forewing. Here's the clever part: the dark female morph is a perfect butterfly mimic of the poisonous Pipevine Swallowtail, protecting it from predators through deception. Flying from spring through fall with two to three generations per year, this butterfly is abundant across diverse habitats from Ontario to the American South.