There Be Tigers

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly at rest on a Florida native Maypop, Passiflora incarnate, aka Passion Flower vine. Interesting fact: female Eastern Tigers can range in color from the yellow of the male to an almost solid blueish-black. The black form is found mostly in the southern part of its range in areas where the Pipevine swallowtail, which has a very unpleasant taste, is found. It's believed that the Eastern Tiger females 'dark form' may be an evolved deceptive mimicry. Check the *extra for a side view of the same butterfly on a Bottlebrush bloom.