It’s a diverse family, with more than 500 swallowtail butterfly species fluttering over six continents. Most are tropical, but about 25 kinds are found regularly in the United States and Canada.

For many of us in the High Country, seeing beautiful butterflies fluttering through the air, or sitting on flowers, is a ...

An Eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly on a Purple Coneflower in Durham County. The Eastern tiger wwallowtail is North Carolina’s state butterfly.