Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Since 2018 I have seen a single Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) each year. Today was the day for 2021. I hope it won’t be the only one but at any rate it was thrilling to see this exotic looking butterfly this afternoon. It was sunny and 88 degrees F.
Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
For the record I also saw two Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus) earlier this morning and another (or one of the same) this afternoon. Verbena bonariensis was the attraction for both species.
Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)
pbmGarden 
You really got some great shots. That red dot really stands out.
Thanks 📱 iPhone.
Wow – so beautiful!
Isn’t it though? I spotted it from inside the house and grabbed the camera.
Beautiful butterfly 🦋
Thanks. It was a fun watching it.
Oh, that is a beauty! And you got some great photos, too! The one that I don’t see as often, but usually at least once a year is the giant swallowtail. Apparently, zebra swallowtails occasionally show up here, but I’ve never seen one here. I have seen them in Florida, though. Beautiful!
Beth, I’ve never seen your giant swallowtail. Bet it’s beautiful.
Excellent shots!
Thanks. I took a zillion pictures and many of them were in focus–surprising since it oved around so quickly.
What an amazing butterfly, Susie!
It is a charmer.
Becuse it has never flowered well before I had not been able to appreciate just how gorgeous she is Susie
That’s a lovely capture. Good luck spotting more this year!
Thank you. I hope so also. They are exciting to see.
Wow, gorgeous!
One of the showier butterflies I see here!
You are one lucky woman.
Judy, I think I am too!
Wonderful shots and an exciting, beautiful visitor to have in your garden, Susie.
I just picked up some more Verbena this morning in hopes of attracting beautiful butterflies like this come summer.
I bought fennel seeds and flowering carrot for the same reason but became concerned about planting it. Dealing with so many spready plants right now.
Exactly the reason I made a pollinator bed where I throw seeds and let them go semi-wild. Things like milkweed, bugloss, etc. can go crazy there and I don’t have to worry about them taking over my perennial beds. Another idea is planting them in containers were their spread is limited. My dill patch has lots of black swallowtail larva, loving that.
Gorgeous butterfly and wonderful photos too!
Thanks Pauline. The Zebra is a showy butterfly, the camera is the iphone.
Oh, that is just gorgeous! I have never seen the Zebra SWT. Do you know what it uses as a host plant?
The pawpaw is the only food source in this area for the zebra swallowtail butterfly. I don’t grow pawpaw but glad nature or some neighbor does.
There is actually a pawpaw orchard about an hour west of Chicago. Sometimes the owner brings fruit to the local farmer’s market.