ONH

Swallowtail Butterflies

Three species of Swallowtail Butterflies occur in the Olympic Mountains.

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  • 1635
    1 - Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus on a rhododendron cultivar.

    06/03/2016 Heart O' the Hills Area, Olympic National Park, Washington

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    2 - Western Tiger Swallowtail on a rhododendron cultivar.

    06/08/2015 Heart O' the Hills Area, Olympic National Park, Washington

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    3 - Western Tiger Swallowtail on a rhododendron cultivar.

    07/27/2021 Heart O' the Hills Area, Olympic National Park, Washington

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    4 - Western Tiger Swallowtail on a rhododendron cultivar.

    06/17/2018 Heart O' the Hills Area, Olympic National Park, Washington

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    5 - Western Tiger Swallowtail mudpuddling.

    07/12/20228 Heart O' the Hills Area, Olympic National Park, Washington

  • 1952
    6 - Western Tiger Swallowtail on a rhododendron cultivar.

    06/23/2018 Heart O' the Hills Area, Olympic National Park, Washington

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    7 - Pale Swallowtail, Papilio eurymedon on a cultivated garden box flower.

    07/13/2022 Heart O' the Hills Area, Olympic National Park, Washington

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    8 - Pale Swallowtail on a rhododendron cultivar.

    06/12/2016 Heart O' the Hills Area, Olympic National Park, Washington

  • P1560701
    9 - Pale Swallowtail on Western Wallflower, Erysimum arenicola.

    06/26/2016 about 5,000 ft elevation Blue Mountain/Deer Park, Olympic National Park, Washington

  • P1510978
    10 - Pale Swallowtail on a cultivated garden box flower.

    07/22/2022 Heart O' the Hills Area, Olympic National Park, Washington

  • P1780512
    11 -Pale Swallowtail on a rhododendron cultivar.

    07/23/2022 Heart O' the Hills Area, Olympic National Park, Washington

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    12 - Pale Swallowtails among cultivated garden box flowers.

    07/23/2018 Heart O' the Hills Area, Olympic National Park, Washington

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    13 - Pale Swallowtail mudpuddling.

    05/30/2007 Southeastern shore of Lake Mills before breaching of Glines Canyon Dam, Olympic National Park, Washington

Three species of Swallowtail Butterflies are common on the Olympic Peninsula, from the lowlands to the mile high ridges. Another 22 Swallowtail species occur in the Pacific Northwest. The family Papilionidae includes the Swallowtails and also the American Apollo Parnassius clodius (see menu).

We have seen Western Tiger Swallowtail and Pale Tiger Swallowtail mostly in the lowlands up to about 2,000 feet. They often visit cultivated plants, including rhododendron cultivars. Anise Swallowtails are common in the Hurricane Ridge area, elevation around 5,000 ft.