THE NATURAL HISTORY OF SANTA FE DAM RECREATION AREA Introduction | Map & Directions | Birds | Butterflies | Other Animals | Plants | Hydrology | Geology | Weather | Pictures Butterflies The Logo The Western Tiger Swallowtail appears on the logo the the Santa Fe Dam Nature Center. It is a large butterfly with a light yellow background and black "tiger" stripes on its wings. It begins to fly in February and uses the California sycamore tree as a larval foodplant. Here are some links to pictures and more information about this swallowtail. Desert USA The Natural History of Orange County E-Nature Las Pilitas The Santa Fe Dam Butterfly List April 6, 2004: Funereal Duskywing 1, Behr's or Mormon Metalmark 4, Bramble Hairstreak 1 April 12, 2004: Western Tiger Swallowtail 1, Painted Lady 3, Cabbage White 3, Funereal Duskywing 1, Behr's Metalmark 1 May 27, 2004: one western tiger swallowtail; a dozen or so cabbage white; many dozens, maybe hundreds of Bernardino Square Spotted Blues;15 or so metalmarks June 21, 2004: a dozen or more cabbage white; one probable funereal duskywing; two unidentifiable blues, not Bernardino There will be many more as the season progresses. Santa Fe Dam has an abundance of larval foodplants and nectar sources. Look for butterflies on these plants in particular: buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), deerweed, and yerba santa in the spring and pine goldenbush later in the year.

---

Web Page by Jane Strong for CNPS-SGM, April, 2004

---