"Yellow-form Black Swallowtail" butterfly on Klamath Weed (Hypericium perforatum)
Here is a stunning "Yellow-form Black Swallowtail" butterfly on a plant of (I think) non-native Klamath Weed (Hypericium perforatum) that has become a common weed throughout the northwest. The plants are in their own family - the Hypericaceae plant family. I like to think this is the Oregon Swallowtail (Papilio oregonius) butterfly, but it looks a lot like our Anise Swallowtails (P. zelicaon) at home. It's one of those. One difference is that the Oregon species prefers Wild tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus, Asteraceae) for its host plant, while the Anise Swallowtail prefers parsley relatives in the Apiaceae. (Near Reynolds Shelter, North Umpqua River, Oregon, 16 August 2014)
"Yellow-form Black Swallowtail" butterfly on Klamath Weed (Hypericium perforatum)
Here is a stunning "Yellow-form Black Swallowtail" butterfly on a plant of (I think) non-native Klamath Weed (Hypericium perforatum) that has become a common weed throughout the northwest. The plants are in their own family - the Hypericaceae plant family. I like to think this is the Oregon Swallowtail (Papilio oregonius) butterfly, but it looks a lot like our Anise Swallowtails (P. zelicaon) at home. It's one of those. One difference is that the Oregon species prefers Wild tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus, Asteraceae) for its host plant, while the Anise Swallowtail prefers parsley relatives in the Apiaceae. (Near Reynolds Shelter, North Umpqua River, Oregon, 16 August 2014)