This Giant Swallowtail, or Papilio cresphontes, was found in my hometown of Mason flying around my mom’s garden. Giant Swallowtail butterflies are one of the largest species in the US. They are found in states east of the Continental Divide as well as in the southern part of the western US. Both males and females have dark brown wings with yellow markings, including a large horizontal yellow strip across the wings. The underside and body are mostly yellow. Their habitat includes citrus orchards, wooded areas, and gardens.
Giant swallowtails fly from Late May to August, but in some areas of the southern United States, such as Texas and Louisiana, they may be seen as late as October. All giant swallowtails have a distinctive flight pattern which generally looks as if they are “hopping” through the air. Females tend to beat their wings slowly but move quickly. Because females have such large wings, each wing beat will carry it a long way. Males however, tend to have more of a darty flight and beat their wings rapidly but move slower than females because their wings are smaller and each beat doesn’t carry them far. Giant swallowtails in general fly fast and high and can be difficult to capture.
You can find my iNaturalist observation here.