A rare zebra swallowtail butterfly has made a surprising appearance in Toronto’s High Park for the first time in over a century. This beautiful black and white butterfly was discovered by Crystal Byrne, a passionate butterfly enthusiast who was exploring the park in search of different species.
“I was amazed to see this stunning zebra swallowtail butterfly,” Byrne shared. “It was truly unexpected, and I feel incredibly lucky to have witnessed such a rare sighting.”
The last time the zebra swallowtail was seen in High Park was all the way back in 1896, according to Bob Yukich, a member of the Toronto Entomologists’ Association. The reappearance of this species after so many years is truly remarkable and has sparked excitement among nature enthusiasts.
High Park is home to a variety of butterfly species, with approximately 74 different types being documented since the 1980s, as reported by the High Park Nature Centre. The presence of the zebra swallowtail serves as a beacon of hope, especially since its host plant, the Pawpaw, is not commonly found in the area.
However, the decline in butterfly populations is a concerning issue, largely due to habitat loss and the widespread use of insecticides. The zebra swallowtail, which was once abundant in southwestern Ontario, faced a decline in numbers as development led to the disappearance of its essential Pawpaw plant.
It is crucial to protect and preserve these delicate creatures, which is why the zebra swallowtail is classified as a “specially protected” species under Ontario’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act. It is illegal to harm, capture, transport, or kill these butterflies, as outlined in a City of Toronto report.
See also Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s tough Bronx persona is under fresh scrutiny with a resurfaced childhood nickname from her suburban upstate New York upbringing casting doubt on that publicly portrayed image. The progressive champion’s latest spat with President Donald Trump over the Iran strikes again called into question her true upbringing when she declared on X she was a “Bronx girl" to make her a point against the president. The 35-year-old congresswoman wrote in part on X: "I’m a Bronx girl. You should know that we can eat Queens boys for breakfast. Respectfully," she said, referring to the president’s upbringing in Queens as she called for his impeachment over his decision to bypass Congress in authorizing U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx but moved to Yorktown – which is nearly an hour outside New York City -- when she was 5 years old and went on to attend Yorktown High School where she graduated in 2007. She was considered an accomplished student there and well thought of by teacher Michael Blueglass, according to a 2018 report by local media outlet Halston Media News. “There, known by students and staff as ‘Sandy,’ she was a member of the Science Research Program taught by Michael Blueglass," the report states. “She was amazing," Blueglass said, per the report. “Aside from her winning one of the top spots and going to the [Intel International Science and Engineering Fair], she was just one of the most amazing presenters in all of the years I've been at Yorktown. Her ability to take complex information and explain it to all different levels of people was fantastic." After high school, Ocasio-Cortez attended Boston University, where she majored in economics and international relations, per the report. Ocasio-Cortez’s “Sandy" nickname — which carries a more suburban and preppy tone — appears to undercut her politically crafted image as a tough, inner-city fighter, one she has portrayed since her famous 2018 congressional campaign where she eventually ousted former 10-terms Congressman Joe Crowley. New York GOP Assemblyman Matt Slater, who now represents Yorktown, added to the scrutiny of Ocasio-Cortez’s persona in the wake of her brash with Trump and released images of Ocasio-Cortez from his high school yearbook. He claimed he and the rising Democratic star attended Yorktown High School at the same time when she was a freshman and he was a senior. "I saw the attacks on the president and her [Ocasio-Cortez] claims that she's a big, tough Bronx girl," said Slater. "To sit there and say that she’s a Bronx girl is just patently ridiculous." "Everybody in our community knows this is just a bold-face lie," said Slater on "Fox & Friends First" last week. "She grew up in Yorktown, she was on my track team." "She's lying about her background, she's lying about her upbringing," Slater claimed. Slater’s post sent social media ablaze and prompted Ocasio-Cortez to respond after an image if her family’s home was posted online. “I’m proud of how I grew up and talk about it all the time," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X Friday responding to the post. “My mom cleaned houses and I helped. We cleaned tutors’ homes in exchange for SAT prep." “Growing up between the Bronx and Yorktown deeply shaped my views of inequality & it’s a big reason I believe the things I do today!"
The rediscovery of the zebra swallowtail in High Park is a reminder of the importance of conservation efforts and the need to safeguard butterfly habitats. With continued conservation measures and international cooperation, we can hopefully ensure the survival of these beautiful and essential pollinators for generations to come.
