Swallowtails & Parnassians

Denali National Park and Preserve is home to diverse array of plant life. These plants rely on pollinators to reproduce. Pollinators stop by in search of nectar and other rewards. Along their journey, they collect and deposit pollen from plant to plant and aid the reproduction process.

There are over 50 species of butterflies in Denali, making them an important part of the ecosystem. We can thank them, along with the many other pollinators in Alaska, for the colorful displays of wildflowers in the spring, and the wealth of berries in the fall.

Learn more about pollination in Denali with this interactive story map.

Butterflies in the Papilionidae Family

 
black and yellow butterfly

Ken Philip photo, used by permission of the University of Alaska Museum

Canadian tiger swallowtail

Papilio canadensis
 
white and black butterfly with a few blue markings on its tail

Ken Philip photo, used by permission of the University of Alaska Museum

Old world swallowtail

Papilio machaon
 
blue and black butterfly

Ken Philip photo, used by permission of the University of Alaska Museum

Eversmann's parnassian

Parnassius eversmanni
 
mostly white butterfly with small red and black spots

Ken Philip photo, used by permission of the University of Alaska Museum

Phoebus parnassianhespe

Parnassius phoebus

Last updated: November 18, 2019

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

PO Box 9
Denali Park, AK 99755

Phone:

907 683-9532
A ranger is available 9 am to 4 pm daily (except on major holidays). If you reach the voicemail, please leave a message and we'll call you back as soon as we finish with the previous caller.

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