A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Please Identify Butterfly

What is the name of a butterfly that has yellow/gold wings, a black bar at the bottom the of the wings, a bar of royal blue just above the black bar, and two "eyes" near/in the blue?
This butterfly is about 3 inches across.
The body part is large and thick, and striped with black.
I am super interested in finding out what she is.
I'm in southern California.
Thanks !

Deborah, from your description, it sounds like you spotted a female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail although they aren't common that far west.



There are so danged many to choose from, without a photo it would be almost impossible to make a positive ID.

Thanks, Rosie.
This one is very close, but the one I saw has 2 "eyes" where the blue spots are on this one.
The "eyes" are in the larger blue spots toward the middle.
Maybe mine is a guy.

Deborah, it may have been a male...you know they are always looking! Hopefully, Thorny or Wrennie will see this post and come up with a better ID. I'm still learning all I can about butterflies and there are soooooooo many kinds, it is really difficult for my old brain.

Could it have been a Scarce Swallowtail?



They are not native to California,but could be a "transplant".

Hope this helps

G~Mom

Oh, that's a pretty one, G'mom but I think she said her's was yellow??? I'm still searching but my eyes are about burned out at this point. lol! I LOVE butterflies and looking at all the pretty pictures is a treat.

I love butterflies too I never get tired of looking at them

Try looking up Anise swallowtail which has the long tail or Indra swallowtail, which has a shorter tail. Both are seen west of the Rockies.

Melcon, thanks !
She's a girl, Rosie, lol.
A female Anise swallowtail.
It's fun to know what she is.
She's here every day now.

Mel, you did good! That's a gorgeous butterfly and maybe you'll be lucky, Deborah, and be grandma to a bunch little ones? Ya just never know!

This should help you know what to watch for now...

Thanks, Rosie !
What's "instar"?

I guess it's the different stages they go through before becoming a beautiful butterfly.

That's what I thought.
Getting so lazy thought I'd ask here rather than Google it.