Pipevine swallowtail

Pipevine swallowtail by rise888

The Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly (Battus philenor)is a swallowtail butterfly found in North and Central America.

Pipevine swallowtail by gracie328

The butterfly ranges from southern Canada southwards across USA to Mexico, Islas Marías and onto Guatemala and Costa Rica.

In the United States, the butterfly is found in New England down to Florida, from Southern Ontario (Canada) to Nebraska, Texas, Arizona, California, Oregon and New Mexico.

Pipevine swallowtail by Franco Folini

The upper surface of the hind wings of the male butterfly has an iridescent metallic blue sheen. The hindwings also have a series of pale, arrow-head markings above and a single row of seven round orange spots, which never touch, set in an iridescent blue field below.

The forewings are dull blackish-brown.

California Tortoiseshell

California Tortoiseshell by Bill Bouton

The California Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis californica) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family.

The California Tortoiseshell is known for having population explosions which cause the butterflies to migrate to new areas. The cause of these seemingly random population explosions is unknown. Their larvae eat various species of Ceanothus.

It is recognized for the top of its wings being orange with big black spots (used mainly for camouflage). The underside of its wings look literally like a dead leaf, because when it has its wings up during rest it looks like a dead leaf on the ground. Its wingspan varies from 3.2–7 cm (1¼–2¾ inches).