Pipevine Swallowtail - Battus philenor

What plant is it?

I am asking because most pipevine swallowtails use Aristolochia but some feed on wild ginger and I found a caterpillar on wild ginger, so I am curious.
This one doesn't look like either of those plants. Maybe the other two images are on a different plant, though.

… Beatriz Moisset, 2 May, 2010 - 9:29pm

This one isn't the host plant

It reminds me of Piggy-Back Plant, Tolmiea menziesii, but I'm not at all sure. Piggy-Back Plant is a plant native to the same types of areas in California as Aristolochia californica, so it would make sense for it to be planted nearby,

Neither Wild Ginger (Asarum spp.) nor California Pipevine (Aristolochia californica) is native anywhere within a hundred miles or more.

… Chuck Entz, 2 May, 2010 - 10:40pm

Thanks, Chuck

Your name came up when Hartmut gave me a tour of the area a week or so ago. The two of you should get together and talk plants!

… Ron Hemberger, 3 May, 2010 - 11:00am

Hi Ron,

your three photos were taken at different times: #391531 at 10:55:39AM;
#391532 at 11:18:18AM; #391533, the dorsal shot, at 11:23:35. Since there were a number of individuals flying around at the time, they may well be different specimens, though all of the same species.
This butterfly was first noticed at RSABG ~ 4 years ago, acc. to Judy Hayami. They oviposit in Aristolochia californica, but of course may land on a variety of spots. Paraphrasing Howard Evans, just because an insect perches on a certain plant doesn't imply a specific relationship with that plant.
Still, somehow they found that there's a good supermarket of California pipe vine at RSABG. I don't know when it was first planted there, but Bob Thorne (R.F. Thorne, PhD) first reported it in 1974: CCH
Insects fly, many may never make it, but some discover a resource and hang around.
I suggest to separate these images, refer to the resource they use in the comments, not in the title.
Biggest population this year, and relatively early! They're up on the Mesa for nectar sources, ovipositing below the Mesa (east) on Aristolochia californica.
Chuck, I'll be happy to show you around as well!

… Hartmut Wisch, 12 March, 2011 - 8:29pm

Someday

Good suggestions,as always, Hartmut. I think at least two are the same, but don't remember which at this point. I just don't feel like sorting them out at this point. Maybe someday I'll sort it out. I didcorrect the caption, as I should have done earlier.

… Ron Hemberger, 12 March, 2011 - 8:44pm

The third one is definitely on the host plant.

I'm not sure of the others. More info here:

… Ron Hemberger, 2 May, 2010 - 9:54pm

Title

To avoid confusion it might be a good idea to change the title.

… Beatriz Moisset, 3 May, 2010 - 11:08am