Western Tiger Swallowtail in Mount Washington

Western Tiger Swallowtail poses for photographs
July 20, 2013, 1:06 PM
Location:  Mount Washington, Los Angeles, California

Western Tiger Swallowtail
Western Tiger Swallowtail

The editorial staff of What’s That Bug? has been trying for years to get a decent photograph of a Western Tiger Swallowtail, and though there is no shortage of this large and gorgeous butterfly in our office garden and the nearby areas, it seems that all they ever want to do in our garden is to soar back and forth without ever landing.  That changed today.  We were on the telephone with Clare when we spotted this beauty on the lilac, and then it flew to the camellia.  By the time we hung up the phone and got the camera, it flew to the oak tree and posed for a few shots before sailing away.

Western Tiger Swallowtail
Western Tiger Swallowtail

5 thoughts on “Western Tiger Swallowtail in Mount Washington”

    • This has been a good year for Swallowtails Diane. The Western Tiger Swallowtails appeared a bit earlier than usual and we have been getting sightings of Giant Swallowtails the past few weeks. Sadly, the Anise Swallowtails have not been plentiful even though we grow carrots in the garden.

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        • We love that staircase on Fletcher and the pylons across the street. There was another gorgeous staircase on the corner of Glendale that was torn down in the late 1980s. The Montesano Hospital was up on the hill where there is now a construction site. There are endangered California Black Walnuts on that block and we really wish more of it could have been saved for open space. It is nice to hear about the Anise Swallowtails there.

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