Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

South Carolina designated the tiger swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) as the official state butterfly in 1994.

Male tiger swallowtails are easily recognized with their distinctive "tiger stripes" on yellow wings (and small orange and blue spots near the tail). Female eastern tiger swallowtails come in two dramatically different colors. The light form looks very similar to the male butterfly, except that she has more blue on her hind wings. The dark form of female has no yellow or stripes.