Black Swallowtail – Courtesy Alice Leurck

As reported in today’s Record, the State Assembly has voted unanimously to name the black swallowtail as the state’s official butterfly. The black swallowtail was chosen for several reasons, chief among them that it spends its entire lifecycle in New Jersey and can be found in all 21 counties, and is easy to attract to home gardens.

 
Don Torino, President of the Bergen County Audubon Society, says in the article that the black swallowtail is “a great choice, especially for a state that’s so built up, because you can find it in any backyard.”

For those who disagree with the choice, you can voice your opinion in a survey that accompanies the article. We’d love to hear from you here as well and encourage you to voice your opinion by leaving a comment.