Canadian Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio Canadensis
Photo Credit: Ken Moore
This vibrant yellow and black striped butterfly lays its eggs on the underside of south facing leaves. When the eggs hatch the brown and white caterpillars resemble bird droppings to deter predators. The caterpillars feed on a variety of leaves but they are not a pest and do not require control. The larvae pupate through winter and emerge as adults the following spring. Adult males will often congregate at puddles consuming the water and minerals dissolved in them, but females do not take part in this practice (known as ‘puddling’)
The City Nature Challenge is a global citizen science bio-blitz held annually. Last year, over 66,394 people from cities around the world documented urban biodiversity on the first weekend of May. Together, they submitted 2.4 million observations for more than 65,682+ species, including more than 3,940+ rare/endangered/threatened species. In Lethbridge, we had 16 observers submit 844 observations of 278 species. Can you help us top this in 2025?