Two-tailed Swallowtail

Class: Hexapoda (animals with six legs - includes all insects)
Order: Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)
    lepido = scale and ptera = wings
    The wings are covered with small scales.
Family: Papilionidae (swallowtails and parnasians)
    The back wings of swallowtails have long narrow extensions.
Subfamily: Papilioninae (swallowtails)
Species: Papilio multicaudatus
Common Name: Two-tailed Swallowtail
Date: 2001 June
Place: Guadalupe Mountains National Park
    Devil's Hall Trail

This large colorful butterfly stands out as it soars between the trees along the wooded stream courses in McKittrick Canyon and Devil's Hall as well as areas where deciduous trees are present. Similar butterflies, called tiger swallowtails with only the outer tail, exist throughout the country; there is a three-tailed species farther south.

Two-tailed Swallowtail

Specimen from Insect Display Case in Visitor Center at Pine Springs

Links

Note: This is a personal web site and is not affiliated with the National Park Service or Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Contact information for the author, Ron Lyons, is accessible through the Index Page referenced below. Thank you.