"What Is Black And White And Red All Over?"

When people ask "what is black and white and red all over?" they often are referring to those old riddles about newspapers and embarrassed zebras. In the world of Lepidoptera, however, they can only mean the aptly named Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly. A striking, but common insect species of North America, the zebra swallowtail features a very distinctive bold black and white striped wing pattern highlighted by brilliant red median stripes.

 

In warmer climates, such as Florida and the Deep South, three broods of zebra swallowtails, scientifically described as Eurytides marcellus, are completed per year. On the northern edge of its range, however, two reproductive cycles are the norm. Adults that emerge during the spring are usually smaller, paler, and have shorter tails than later broods, and summer and autumn cohorts are progressively larger and darker. Yet, no matter what their appearance, zebra swallowtails can be distinguished from other swallowtail butterfly species in flight by their characteristic close-to-the-ground forays, very direct flight paths, and rapid wing beats.

 

I found this one at Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area, Osceola County, Florida.

 

Done