I am more colorful than my mate
But she is a better Pipevine mimic
And thus, less likely to be ate!
(Pipevine Swallowtails are poisonous, so it is the female butterfly's best interest to look as much like one as possible to avoid predation.)
Sources: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN906
https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/pipevine-swallowtail-blue-swallowtail
Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson
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