Papilio canadensis
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Papilio canadensis, the Canadian tiger swallowtail, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It was once classified as a subspecies of Papilio glaucus. The wingspan of this species is 67 to 80 mm. It is very similar to the eastern tiger swallowtail, but has a noticeably smaller wingspan. Unlike it, the forewing underside, yellow marginal band is continuous. The hindwing has many orange scales on both morphs. This species has also been known to hybridize with both the eastern and western tiger swallowtail, though extremely rarely.
The caterpillar is large and green with an enlarged head. It has four yellow dots and two false eyes with bluish centers. In profile, this caterpillar appears snake-like. The immature larvae are brown and white to mimic bird droppings, making them unappealing to predators.
This butterfly is found in most provinces and territories in Canada, as its name implies. Its range extends north of the Arctic Circle in the Yukon, and to Churchill in Manitoba, Little Shagamu River in Ontario, and to Schefferville in Quebec. It does not occur in southern British Columbia, being replaced there... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elk Island National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Kluane National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Isle Royale National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Cape Breton Highlands National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | Wrangell-St. Elias National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Gros Morne National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Riding Mountain National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 8 | Voyageurs National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Jasper National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 10 | Banff National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 11 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Denali National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 13 | Glacier National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Canadian Tiger Swallowtail sighting in Calgary on a given day, based on 81 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 42nd most-seen of the 256 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Canadian Tiger Swallowtail in Calgary on a given day, against under 5% in August and October–April, the lowest months. That is one of Calgary's wettest months, with about 120 mm of rain against 15 mm in January.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Canadian Tiger Swallowtail sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 5 cities where we can rate Canadian Tiger Swallowtail sightings, Calgary ranks 3rd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Anchorage (United States, about 10%) and Edmonton (Canada, about 10%).
Same order: Lepidoptera
The closest relatives of the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail that you can see in Calgary (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are Mourning Cloak (about 20%), Small White (about 20%) and Police Car Moth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail is recorded against all the insects logged in Calgary (81 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
