Virginia State Insect

April 23, 2025

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) pollinating apple blossoms, one of the steps in creating apples.

The host plants of the Tiger Swallowtail are those in the Magnolia and Rose families. As an adult this butterfly enjoys a long life compared to many other butterflies, sipping the nectar of many flowers from spring to autumn. Establishing two to three broods during that time.

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Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.