Papilio eurymedon

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum Read more about this collection »

Common NamePale Swallowtail SeasonalityOne brood yearly, with peak flight activity in July. IdentificationFaded specimens of P. canadensis or P. rutulus can be similar to the Pale Swallowtail, but the black stripes of P. eurymedon are much broader, and the ground colour is white or creamy white, never yellow. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Scientific Name Papilio eurymedon Common Name Pale Swallowtail Habitat Along waterways and montane forest edges. Seasonality One brood yearly, with peak flight activity in July. Identification

Faded specimens of P. canadensis or P. rutulus can be similar to the Pale Swallowtail, but the black stripes of P. eurymedon are much broader, and the ground colour is white or creamy white, never yellow. No…

Life History

The egg is yellowish green, round and smooth, developing a pink tinge along the sides several days after being laid (Guppy & Shepard 2001). Larvae are similar to those of other species in the tiger swallowtail group (Layberry et al. 1998); young larvae are black with a white saddle, resembling bird droppings, while mature larvae are bright green with a whitish underside, and have a pair of yellow and black eyespots on the mid-thoracic segment (Guppy & Shepard 2001). The pupae are green or brown, with darker longitudinal lines (Guppy & Shepard 2001). Adult males patrol forest edges and watercourses in search of females, and (unlike the other tiger swallowtails) also congregate at hilltops to await females (Layberry et al. 1998). Males form mud-puddling congregations (Layberry et al. 1998).

Conservation Of limited distribution in the province. Diet Info

The larval food plant is unknown in Alberta. It is most likely one or more shrub species in the rose (Rosaceae), birch (Betulaceae) or buckthorn (Rhamnaceae) family. In BC, larvae feed on cultivated apple (Malus spp.), Red Alder (Alnus rubra), birch (Betula spp.), tea bush (Ceanothus sanguineus), Ocean Spray (Holodiscus discolor), and Cherry (Prunus emerginata) (Guppy & Shepard 2001).

Range Southern BC and extreme southwestern Alberta south to New Mexico and California (Opler 1999). Rare in Alberta, occuring from the Crowsnest Pass region southward along the mountains (Bird et al. 1995).

Page Citation

"Species Details - Papilio eurymedon, University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum." University of Alberta Museums Search Site, https://search.museums.ualberta.ca/g/2-2506/9-478274. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

References

29 results plotted on map in 17 markers.
Note: Only records with latitude and longitude coordinates are plotted on map.

UASM34438 - Papilio eurymedon

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: British Columbia, Crawford Bay Collected BySchmidt, B. C. Date Collected1994-05-24

UASM213475 - Papilio eurymedon

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: California, Los Angeles county, Santa Ynez Canyon Collected ByClayton, R. K. Date Collected1990-04-14

UASM213476 - Papilio eurymedon

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: California, Los Angeles county, Santa Ynez Canyon Collected ByClayton, R. K. Date Collected1990-04-14

UASM213477 - Papilio eurymedon

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: California, Los Angeles county, Santa Ynez Canyon Collected ByClayton, R. K. Date Collected1990-03-31

UASM398001 - Papilio eurymedon

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: British Columbia, Myra-Bellevue Park Collected BySperling, F. A. H. Date Collected2013-07-14

UASM398010 - Papilio eurymedon

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: California, Alpine county, Ebbett's Pass Collected BySperling, F. A. H. Date Collected1998-08-08