Florida butterflies

With the warm climate, butterflies are often in flight year  round in Floridian Nature. From the Giant Swallowtail to the Little Metalmark, the state has a wealth of flittering, fluttering, flappers, and gliders brightening the landscape. There are more than 17,000s different species, or types, of butterflies. They come in many colors and live in very different types of climates. In Florida over 180 different butterflies have been recorded. Within that mix, some 40 are considered either unique to the state or occur mostly within its boundaries,

 Who doesn't want to see beautiful butterflies visiting their Florida garden? Planning a butterfly garden in your yard helps attract a wide variety of butterflies found in Florida nature. Creating a butterfly garden means choosing plants that are high in nectar and plants in colors of red and purple that butterflies find irresistible.

The Polydamus Swallowtail lacks the characteristic hindwings tails common to most other North American members of the swallowtail family. This trait combined with it's broad, yellow wing span of 4.0- 5.0 inches, makes this butterfly easy to identify. The Polydamus Swallowtail is a fast and powerful flier with a preference to open areas. Primarily a tropical butterfly, it is rarely found north of the Florida border. This is a common butterfly of suburban and urban gardens. Adult polydamus are good colonizers and readily disperse long distances in search of suitable hosts.