Aristolochic-acid-sequestration

Guides

• Battus philenor philenor

  Pipevine Swallowtail, Blue Swallowtail

  Battus philenor philenor is a subspecies of the pipevine swallowtail butterfly found in North America. Adults display iridescent blue hindwings against a black background, serving as aposematic warning coloration derived from sequestered aristolochic acids from their host plants. The subspecies is univoltine to bivoltine with flight periods from late winter through autumn, peaking before July. Populations have shown resilience to drought conditions in California's Central Valley, in contrast to montane butterfly declines.

  aposematic-colorationchemical-defensearistolochic-acid-sequestrationMüllerian-mimicryBatesian-mimicry-modeldrought-resilienceriparian-specialisthost-discriminationoviposition-behaviorclimate-change-indicator