Papilio canadensis

Rothschild & Jordan, 1906

Canadian Tiger Swallowtail

A -sized with and black striped , found across northern North America. during spring and summer with a single . The was formerly considered a of Papilio glaucus but is now recognized as distinct based on morphological and genetic differences. It exhibits regional to climate, with northern showing faster development rates in cooler temperatures.

Papilio canadensis by (c) Bex Goreham, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Bex Goreham. Used under a CC-BY license.Papillon tigré du Canada by Maxime Laterreur. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.Papilio canadensis PJC2 by Cephas. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Papilio canadensis: /pəˈpiː.li.oʊ kæ.nəˈdɛn.sɪs/

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Identification

Distinguished from the eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) by smaller size (67–80 mm vs. 75–140 mm), continuous marginal on underside (broken in P. glaucus), and more extensive orange scaling. Distinguished from western tiger swallowtail (Papilio rutulus) by geographic range and pattern details. Hybridization with both P. glaucus and P. rutulus has been documented but is extremely rare.

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Habitat

Woodland edges, deciduous and mixed forests, riparian areas, and open areas near forest. Common around woodland edges where frequently puddle.

Distribution

Canada: most provinces and territories, ranging north of the Circle in Yukon, to Churchill (Manitoba), Little Shagamu River (Ontario), and Schefferville (Quebec). Absent from southern British Columbia (replaced by P. rutulus) and parts of southwestern Ontario west of Toronto (replaced by P. glaucus). Present in western and central Newfoundland; unreported from Labrador. United States: northern third of the country.

Seasonality

active during spring and summer. One per year. Adults emerge in May; period extends through summer months. overwinter.

Diet

feed on nectar. feed on leaves of woody plants: Betula (birches), Populus (poplars, aspens, cottonwoods), Malus (apple), and Prunus serotina (black cherry).

Host Associations

  • Betula - larval birches
  • Populus - larval poplars, aspens, cottonwoods
  • Malus - larval apple trees
  • Prunus serotina - larval black cherry

Life Cycle

Single (). Females lay singly on leaves. fold and tie host plant leaves together with to create feeding shelters. progress through five ; early instars and , mimicking bird droppings; later instars green with dots and false with bluish centers, appearing snake-like in profile. overwinter, with emerging in May.

Behavior

frequently engage in , gathering in large numbers (sometimes hundreds) at single puddles to obtain minerals. One of the most popular puddling within its range. construct leaf shelters by folding and tying leaves with .

Ecological Role

as ; as . Subject to competition with () mediated by chemistry, , and .

Human Relevance

Popular and well-known in northern North America. Frequently observed by naturalists and butterfly enthusiasts. Subject of ecological research on climate and associations.

Similar Taxa

  • Papilio glaucusOverlaps in range in some areas; distinguished by larger size (75–140 mm), broken marginal on underside, and less extensive orange scaling
  • Papilio rutulusReplaces P. canadensis in southern British Columbia; distinguished by geographic separation and subtle pattern differences

Misconceptions

Formerly classified as a of Papilio glaucus; now recognized as distinct based on morphological, genetic, and ecological differences.

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Sources and further reading