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Papilio turnus.

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Date

[Between 1816 and 1818]

Description

Two yellow, black and blue swallowtail butterflies with pupa and caterpillar shown on a twig in leaf and flower. According to the notes accompanying the 1983 reproduction of this work "A common and widespread woodland species found in the United States and in Canada, although less abundantly in the extreme south of its range...it is probably the earliest known American butterfly ... seen here on the Wafer Ash or Hop Tree (Ptelia trifoliata Linnaeus) ... a shrub or small tree of rocky soils on the eastern United States. The bitter fruits can be used as a substitute for hops and the plant is sometimes used as an ornamental." The butterfly is now known as Papilio glaucus or Tiger swallowtail, because of its colouring.

Image Licence

Image Credit

Alexander Turnbull Library

Location

Georgia, USA

Country

USA