Western Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio rutulus Lucas, 1852
Family: Papilionidae
Subfamily: Papilioninae
Identification: Upperside of hindwing with upper-most marginal spot yellow or lacking. Underside of forewing with separate yellow spots forming marginal band. Hindwing has narrow marginal spots and no orange tint except for 2 spots near end of inner margin.
Wing Span: 2 3/4 - 4 inches (7 - 10 cm).
Life History: Males patrol canyons or hilltops for receptive females. Females lay eggs singly on surface of host plant leaves. Caterpillars feed on leaves and rest on silken mats in shelters of curled leaves. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: One flight from June-July.
Caterpillar Hosts: Leaves of cottonwood and aspen (Populus), willows (Salix), wild cherry (Prunus), and ash (Fraxinus).
Adult Food: Nectar from many flowers including thistles, abelia, California buckeye, zinnia, and yerba santa.
Habitat: Woodlands near rivers and streams, wooded suburbs, canyons, parks, roadsides, and oases.
Range: Western North America from British Columbia south to southern New Mexico and Baja California; east to western South Dakota and southeast Colorado. A rare stray to central Nebraska.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None noted.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 73 - 96 of 1271 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/021a1412.jpg?itok=JIfwhBKZ)
Observation date: Jun 14, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 20, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_6807-swallow_tail_butterfly.jpg?itok=9JeMMPLL)
Observation date: Jun 17, 2023
Submitted by: LHenriksen
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 18, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p6150041.jpg?itok=_tSSL4dS)
Observation date: Jun 15, 2023
Submitted by: pdxgene711
Region: Linn County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 18, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/_mg_0659a.jpg?itok=krRfrnNH)
Observation date: Jun 13, 2023
Submitted by: RoxannaTessman
Region: Jackson County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 15, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_3902_3.jpg?itok=72xx5OJ1)
Observation date: Jun 03, 2023
Submitted by: Chiquitanna
Region: Pierce County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 10, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_1058.png?itok=LzVrW9SX)
Observation date: Jun 05, 2023
Submitted by: Mpdyer
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 07, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p5270290.jpg?itok=Ag0-rRtr)
Observation date: May 27, 2023
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 31, 2023
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Observation date: May 13, 2023
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Santa Cruz County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 21, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0086.jpeg?itok=LWX2ZkJ5)
Observation date: May 11, 2023
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 13, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_1421.jpeg?itok=FUjb1jtV)
Observation date: May 03, 2023
Submitted by: Abenedyczak
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: May 06, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_1421_0.jpeg?itok=hlF4GVi1)
Observation date: May 03, 2023
Submitted by: Abenedyczak
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: May 06, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/69beaad2-eb73-4127-b0b6-f7bdf5a6717d.jpeg?itok=bvTfhJ9n)
Observation date: Apr 16, 2023
Submitted by: Tra_naturehikes
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 17, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20210904-08682021-09-04.jpg?itok=nTyFhYFt)
Observation date: Sep 04, 2021
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Napa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 14, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_1791_western_tiger_swallowtail_papilio_rutulus.jpg?itok=YRn6kHwh)
Observation date: Jul 24, 2022
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 14, 2023
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Observation date: Jul 09, 2022
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 13, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_2308-20200714.jpg?itok=pZ0M38OX)
Observation date: Jul 14, 2020
Submitted by: flyinganvil
Region: Whatcom County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jan 01, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p1020897_0.jpg?itok=fQKOeveu)
Observation date: May 31, 2022
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Greenlee County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Dec 28, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p1020636.jpg?itok=Cek3q8Zi)
Observation date: May 30, 2022
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Apache County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Dec 25, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20180728_160815.jpg?itok=hzNk7B3B)
Observation date: Jul 28, 2018
Submitted by: 428papidenuit
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 02, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_20220922_102921601_hdr.jpg?itok=FozIpwNp)
Observation date: Sep 21, 2022
Submitted by: Diane Johnson
Region: Mohave County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Sep 27, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/swallowtail_2_9.jpg?itok=w7vq-4nv)
Observation date: Jun 14, 2017
Submitted by: Claire Christensen
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 23, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_2466_3.jpg?itok=tmynNPHx)
Observation date: Jun 16, 2019
Submitted by: Idalgit
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn6145.jpg?itok=JDFIzaAZ)
Observation date: Jun 12, 2019
Submitted by: Claude Rioux
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 14, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/fbacd846-fd52-4a8a-97d5-b708a94981a2.jpeg?itok=-yY44lQI)
Observation date: Jul 12, 2019
Submitted by: Quiio
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 14, 2022
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