Observation date: September 05, 2015
Submitted by: Mrtommysands
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: None.
Status: Resident
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: September 10, 2016
Coordinator notes: You did not list the county from where the caterpillar was photographed. I'm presuming it was around the address giving on the siting page (Carbondale). The Western Tiger Swallowtail is very common in the Roaring Fork Valley and there for I chose rutulus as the species. If found elsewhere there would be a more likelihood it could be a full grown caterpillar of the Two-tailed Swallowtail (P. multicaudata).
The caterpillars are very much lookalikes and both usually change to a maroon-reddish color before they pupate. P. rutulus around Carbondale probably prefers Aspen as its host while multicaudata would use Green Ash in residential areas or wild cherry or plum in rural habitats. Mike
