Question: I have heard that a specific pipevine is poisonous to the larva of Pipevine Swallowtails. Is this true? If so, what is the poisonous species of pipevine, and what other types can I plant ...

A few weeks ago, I got a call from my friend Ryan Woolwine, asking if we could “cat sit” for him while he went on vacation. It wasn’t a feline-type kitty cat he wanted me to take care of, but rather ...

The drama is real for this sultry flower, a gorgeous butterfly and an unlucky fungus gnat. The devilish caterpillars of the pipevine swallowtail butterfly *devour* the California pipevine, never mind ...

The explosion of wildflowers throughout March and April ushers in a favorite Sonoma County phenomenon - the emergence of the pipevine swallowtail butterflies. The explosion of wildflowers throughout ...

CHICO — It’s pipevine swallowtail season, meaning black and orange caterpillars are milling about all through Bidwell Park. Chico Park and Natural Resources Manager Shane Romain is advising park goers ...

DEAR JOAN: I have a caterpillar question. I found two large, mostly black guys in my yard — one crawling up the stucco of the house, the other clinging to a pot on the patio. Is this a pipevine ...

It’s summer and butterflies are everywhere, fluttering around with their flashy looks. But the truth must come out: Behind every beautiful butterfly is a funny-looking, very determined, caterpillar.

SAN FRANCISCO — This spring, the dramatic return of a rare, blue iridescent butterfly dazzled onlookers at the San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park. Neighbor John Gale, who visits the ...

Last week I had a picture of a dark form of the eastern tiger swallowtail with my column. The obvious question about any species with more than one color form is: What is the advantage? The advantage ...

Six species of swallowtail butterflies occur locally, and they combine yellow, black, orange, blue and red in several diverse patterns that invariably catch the eye. We can marvel at them, but our ...