So... Eastern or Canadian? - Papilio canadensis

Surprising to see a northern species at this locality

Isn't it?

… John S. Ascher, 14 September, 2015 - 6:51am

It bothers me more that it's practically downtown Philadelphia

which isn't exactly the sort of area one thinks of for Canadian Tigers. However, I don't know what the specific location is like, and they are recorded from along western NJ and scattered points in adjacent PA. And, these really don't look like Eastern Tigers.

Odds are that they share blood from both "species", but that's hard to tell from a photo. The bigger of the two looks a LOT like P. appalachiensis from further south, and there has been a trend lately to call these from PA and NJ by that name (though I'm not sure that is really accurate). I don't think you'll find ones that look like this later in the summer, because these tend to be single-brooded and to fly in the spring only. Then it should be all Easterns (in theory).

… David J. Ferguson, 15 September, 2015 - 5:37pm

… David J. Ferguson, 21 December, 2011 - 12:54am

This is the one that looks more like an Appalachian Tiger

Moved from Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.

… David J. Ferguson, 21 December, 2011 - 12:54am

Moved

Moved from Papilio.

… Yurika Alexander, 22 May, 2011 - 10:09am

Eastern vs Canadian

Marginal Band:
Take a look at the underside of the forewing. The yellow marginal band is CONTINUOUS on the Canadian Tiger, and BROKEN UP INTO SPOTS on the Eastern Tiger.

Canadian Tiger:

Eastern Tiger:

Size:
Depending upon the source, the size of the Canadian Tiger ranges from 65-80 mm or 53-90mm. The size of the Eastern Tiger ranges from 80-140 mm or 92-165 mm. Since yours measures 105 mm, it's definitely too large to be a Canadian Tiger, but fits well within the range size for an Eastern Tiger.

… Kelly Fiegle, 22 May, 2011 - 6:58am

Thank you Kelly!

Thank you for the detailed description!
Now if I understand correctly, it's safe to say Eastern, right?
(I already moved anyway!)

… Yurika Alexander, 22 May, 2011 - 10:14am