When I’m working in the landscape on a hot summer day, one of my favorite sights is a large, brightly colored butterfly drifting through the garden.
By late summer, butterflies are often at their seasonal peak, making this a great time to enjoy their beauty and learn more about them. Among the many shapes, sizes and colors found in our gardens, swallowtail butterflies are some of the most striking.
Swallowtail butterflies are a subfamily of Papilionidae. While the family includes more than 500 species, there are fewer than 30 in North America. Swallowtail butterflies are easily recognized by the extended appendage on their hind wings, resembling the tail feathers of a swallow bird. Many species have bright colors on their wings, such as yellow, blue, and red. The striping and patterns on both the upper and lower surfaces of their wings make them especially showy when they flutter through your garden…