Wordless Wednesday – The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

The Eastern tiger swallowtail features characteristics that make it distinctive from other butterflies. Male Eastern tiger swallowtails are yellow or yellow-orange in color with black spots or “tiger stripes” displayed on the wings. Females can range from the similar yellow color of the male to a solid bluish-black color. You can find Eastern tiger swallowtails residing in wooded areas along streams, swamps and rivers. This one in particular was photographed in Jones County on a sandbar along the North Fork of the Maquoketa River.

Reference: The Butterflies of Iowa, by Dennis W. Schlicht