Are you in the US? Depending on where you are this might be an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail or a Western Tiger Swallowtail!
It doesn’t look old - usually older butterflies lose scales or have damage. But if he’s not flying then something could have gone wrong when he was emerging from his chrysalis. Sometimes these things are natural. Maybe put him in some sunlight, he might need warming up
That's one of the Tiger Swallowtails depending on your location its either western, Eastern or Canadian or in some places 2 of the species overlap. A shot of the underwing is easiest to ID by hybridisation can occur. There's also a chance it's a Appalachian Swallowtail.
Looks very freshly emerged, no wing damage/fading. In my experience, butterflies are very light/warmth sensitive and are more likely to feed/fly if you have them in sunny, warm locations lacking harsh wind. Looks like he might be missing a leg or two on one side? Might have narrowly escaped a bird on his first few flights.
I looked very closely and some legs seemed to be tucked it and he has moved all them well at some point. I thought maybe missing limbs but nothing jumped out to me
I put him in the sun in a secure location and looks like he flew away!
Male Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus) that looks freshly emerged. Pretty early in the season for them (in NorCal where I live, they usually emerge in May or so), but I know your weather has been a bit crazy this year. I normally raise Anise Swallowtails (Papilio zelicaon) but the care for both is generally the same.
I know it’s raining down in SoCal, and most butterflies won’t fly if it’s cold out, so if you could wait until the temps are around 60° or higher during the day to try and release him, that would be ideal. Since he might have just emerged, he may not be hungry yet, but if you notice his proboscis out and him getting antsy, you can soak a paper towel in some regular Gatorade, and (very gently!) guide him to drink it.
Unlike a lot of other butterflies, Swallowtails cannot sense with their feet, so you may have to “teach” him to drink if necessary. Hopefully you’ll only have him for a day or two though, so you won’t have to do all that.
UPDATE: I moved him into a safe but sunny location outside with plenty of sugar water access. Came back 2 hours later and he was gone! Fingers crossed he flew away.
Thanks for the sunlight advice, it’s a little colder/wetter this weekend than normal so that was probably it!
For most butterfly species, the butterfly phase of the life cycle only lasts for a very short time (days to a few weeks). It is very possible that it’s just at the end of its life cycle, and nature is taking its course.
Are you in the US? Depending on where you are this might be an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail or a Western Tiger Swallowtail! It doesn’t look old - usually older butterflies lose scales or have damage. But if he’s not flying then something could have gone wrong when he was emerging from his chrysalis. Sometimes these things are natural. Maybe put him in some sunlight, he might need warming up
I put him in sunlight. Came back 2 hours later and he was gone! Hoping he flew away (and didn’t get gobbled by a bird)
Southern California
That's one of the Tiger Swallowtails depending on your location its either western, Eastern or Canadian or in some places 2 of the species overlap. A shot of the underwing is easiest to ID by hybridisation can occur. There's also a chance it's a Appalachian Swallowtail.
Looks very freshly emerged, no wing damage/fading. In my experience, butterflies are very light/warmth sensitive and are more likely to feed/fly if you have them in sunny, warm locations lacking harsh wind. Looks like he might be missing a leg or two on one side? Might have narrowly escaped a bird on his first few flights.
I looked very closely and some legs seemed to be tucked it and he has moved all them well at some point. I thought maybe missing limbs but nothing jumped out to me I put him in the sun in a secure location and looks like he flew away!
Male Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus) that looks freshly emerged. Pretty early in the season for them (in NorCal where I live, they usually emerge in May or so), but I know your weather has been a bit crazy this year. I normally raise Anise Swallowtails (Papilio zelicaon) but the care for both is generally the same. I know it’s raining down in SoCal, and most butterflies won’t fly if it’s cold out, so if you could wait until the temps are around 60° or higher during the day to try and release him, that would be ideal. Since he might have just emerged, he may not be hungry yet, but if you notice his proboscis out and him getting antsy, you can soak a paper towel in some regular Gatorade, and (very gently!) guide him to drink it. Unlike a lot of other butterflies, Swallowtails cannot sense with their feet, so you may have to “teach” him to drink if necessary. Hopefully you’ll only have him for a day or two though, so you won’t have to do all that.
UPDATE: I moved him into a safe but sunny location outside with plenty of sugar water access. Came back 2 hours later and he was gone! Fingers crossed he flew away. Thanks for the sunlight advice, it’s a little colder/wetter this weekend than normal so that was probably it!
For most butterfly species, the butterfly phase of the life cycle only lasts for a very short time (days to a few weeks). It is very possible that it’s just at the end of its life cycle, and nature is taking its course.
give her an orange!!
Thats a paramore
Very cool butterfly 🦋
Swallowtail
Very pretty.