The Amazing Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 🦋

As summer begins to wind down, one of the most magical sights in the garden is the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly.

These butterflies are HUGE—sometimes as wide as your hand! With their bright yellow wings and black tiger-like stripes, they look like tiny works of art fluttering through the air.

🌟Did You Know?

• The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is one of the largest butterflies in North America, with wings that can stretch up to 5 inches across.
• Males are usually bright yellow with black stripes, while some females are yellow too—but others are almost completely black!
• They love sipping nectar from flowers like zinnias, milkweed, and butterfly bushes.

Next time you see one, watch carefully—sometimes they glide smoothly like kites, and other times they flap quickly to dart between flowers.

A Butterfly’s Backyard Friends

When you’re outside, what other creatures do you notice? Alongside the swallowtails, the garden is buzzing with life:

• Bees 🐝 busily collecting pollen.
• Hummingbirds 🐦 zooming from flower to flower like tiny helicopters.
• Ladybugs 🐞 patrolling leaves to snack on pesky aphids.
• Other butterflies 🦋 like monarchs, painted ladies, or little white cabbage butterflies.

All of these creatures help keep our gardens healthy by spreading pollen, eating pests, or simply adding beauty.

Backyard Bug Hunt 🕵️

Here’s a fun challenge for you:

1. Go outside with a notebook or camera.
2. See how many different bugs, birds, or butterflies you can spot in 15 minutes.
3. Draw or write down what you see. Did you notice any Eastern Tiger Swallowtails?

You might be surprised at how much life is buzzing all around you when you stop to look!

Share With Us!

What bugs, birds, and butterflies are YOU finding in your backyard right now? Do you see swallowtails too—or maybe something totally different?

Leave a comment or share a picture with us—we’d love to see your discoveries!