The Butterfly of the Week is the gold rim swallowtail (Battus polydamus).  Pictured above, you can see the gold rim swallowtail with its much larger cousin, the giant swallowtail, to its right. Several gold rim swallowtails emerged from their pupa within the last week and have been released into the pavilion. But quantity is not the only reason why we chose the gold rim as this week’s butterfly. Find out what makes the gold rim swallowtail unique in the list of fun facts below before visiting them at SOAR.

Fun Facts

  • Unlike other swallowtails, gold rims lack the small “tail” on their hindwings, making them some of the only tail-less swallowtails in the United States. You can use the picture above to see the tail at the end of the giant swallowtail’s hindwing compared to the tail-less hindwings of the gold rim.
  • Gold rim swallowtails are native to Texas and Florida, as well as Mexico and South America. 
  • They have a wingspan of 3.5 – 4.5 inches.
  • As caterpillars, gold rim swallowtails enjoy eating the leaves of the pipevine plant.
  • They live for about a month and enjoy nectar from various flowers, notably milkweed and butterfly weed.

Want to see them up close? Make sure to get your tickets to SOAR today!