Cnidium-cnidiifolium
Guides
Papilio machaon aliaska
Alaskan Old World Swallowtail
Papilio machaon aliaska is a subspecies of the Old World Swallowtail butterfly found in Alaska. It represents a distinct population that has colonized novel host plants in the Asteraceae family in addition to its ancestral Apiaceae hosts. Studies indicate that larval fitness is highest on the ancestral host plant Cnidium cnidiifolium when reared in controlled environments without predation, though field observations suggest survival advantages on novel hosts when natural enemies are present. The subspecies demonstrates the complex ecological and evolutionary dynamics of host plant relationships in swallowtail butterflies.