National Park Service Featured Creature U.S. Department of the Interior August 2019 Klamath Network Inventory & Monitoring Division Natural Resource Stewardship & Science Pipevine Swallowtail philenor

General Description Life Cycle The endemic California pipevine, with its Like many , California pipevine swal- fascinating flowers and fruit, was the lowtails display complete metamorphosis: the Featured Creature of the month in April 2012. egg, an active and hungry caterpillar stage, This month we bring you an that shares a pupal stage, and the final adult stage as a an intimate relationship with the woody vine, butterfly.

the unmistakable California pipevine NPS/ERIC DINGER . In the spring to early summer, small, bright Nearly full-grown caterpillar (late instar larva) orange eggs are laid on the leaf undersides of the California pipevine swallowtail at Whis- is another California endemic of a pipevine plant so the larvae can begin to keytown NRA, June 2019. (family Papilionidae, order ). feed immediately. Egg-laying is timed with the Also known as the blue swallowtail, the growth of the pipevine, which usually ends Conservation swallowtail, and by other names, in June, but can vary. The pupal stage occurs California pipevine swallowtails are doing it is widespread across the southeastern and when the full grown caterpillar retreats into fine, but there is concern that nonnative central US into and . a shell to begin its metamorphosis into a species of pipevine planted to attract adults The central and northern California popula- butterfly. Though not well understood, the could inhibit feeding by the larvae, which tion is isolated from populations in the rest of timing and duration of this stage seems to be find anything but the California pipevine its range and as such is considered a separate influenced by a combination of day length unpalatable. subspecies, B. philenor hirsuta. and temperature. The number of broods per year can vary from one to many. Fun Facts As larvae, caterpillars may grow to 5 cm (2 in); • , or warning coloration, is when full grown they are dark with large Behavior and Feeding an adaptation used by many insects to deter orange projections across the thorax and During mating, males take moisture and predators. The bright orange markings on abdominal segments. The cryptic shell of the nutrients from mud and transfer some of the adult and larval California pipevine swallow- transitional pupal stage is either green or nutrients to the female. After the eggs hatch, tails serve to warn predators of their toxicity. brown. Adult male butterflies have dark wings larvae begin feeding on the tender young • Many butterflies have mimics, including as seen from above with iridescent blue or shoots of the California pipevine. While other swallowtails, but not the California blue-green hindwings. Light spots are present eating, they ingest chemicals from the plant, pipevine swallowtail. Molecular studies indi- on the edges of both fore and hindwings, with including aristocholic acids that make the cat- cate that it has not lived here long enough for seven bright orange spots near the edge of erpillar toxic to eat. A tough outer skin helps mimics to evolve. wing undersides. White spots fleck the sides deter predators too. The toxic acids remain • Diapause in swallowtails is a state of of the dark abdomen. Female adult butterfly present at all life stages. At first, the young dormancy in the pupal stage that allows an coloration is similar to males but less shiny. larvae feed in groups but are solitary later individual to stay in a quiet state for months. Wingspread is 7–13 cm (2.75–5 in). on, as defensive mechanisms develop. When • Chico State’s entomology club has adopted fully grown, larvae leave the host plant to the California pipevine swallowtail as its find a suitable site to pupate. After emerging mascot! as butterflies, adults drink from many plants, including buttonbush, asters, lupines, Where to See California buckeye, and even the nonnative Whiskeytown NRA is the only Klamath yellow star thistle, if nothing else is available. Network park to have California pipevine swallowtails. Habitat and Predators California pipevine swallowtails use a variety More Information of open habitats, including woodlands, Art Shapiro’s Butterfly Site woodland edges, streamsides, and chaparral. Natural enemies include , parasitic Klamath Network , ants, ladybugs, and fungal diseases. Southern University

NPS/KASEY ROLIH 1250 Siskiyou Blvd California pipevine swallowtail adult feeding on Ashland, OR 97520 buttonbush at Whiskeytown NRA, August 2019. PREPARED BY KASEY ROLIH EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA™