Western Tiger Swallowtail chrysalis LIVE BUTTERFLY

Western Tiger Swallowtail chrysalis LIVE BUTTERFLY

Regular price $13.00 Sale

Western Tiger Swallowtail -- Papilio rutulus

****Overwintering pupae.  Keep cool on a natural light cycle, and fridge per overwintering blog instructions at Thanksgiving.

****Shipping to OR, WA, AZ, ID, CO, MT, UT, CA, NM, NV, and WY

A common and lovely butterfly throughout the Pacific Northwest, thriving in the desert and wet valley side all the way to the coast.

Larvae feed on a variety of trees including willow, cottonwood, ash, and sycamore.

There is one main late spring/early summer flight in Oregon.  Occasionally there is a second brood.

Item Details:

  • You will receive one Western Tiger Swallowtail chrysalis, inspected for quality and weight before shipping.
  • Chrysalis is diapausing (sleeping through the winter for eclosion in SPRING 2023).  Mist every couple of days, and follow overwintering instructions at the end of November.
  • We guarantee shipping a live chrysalis.  Because this is a live animal, there are no other guarantees after shipment.
  • We recommend ordering two (2) or more chrysalids, as occasionally one won't make it through winter/fridge.  This is rare, but does occur in nature from time to time.

General Directions in spring, if the chrysalid is overwintered in the fridge:

  • Keep inside in a pop-up tent/rearing cage (also available on our site), on top of paper towel.
  • Mist every couple of days, as inside air is quite dry. 
  • Chrysalis should eclose (hatch) in 3-6 weeks.
  • There are many resources and online groups to handle questions about live butterflies and pupae care.  Send us an email if you get stuck :)

      More in depth instructions and discussion: