Swallowtail butterfly passed in a pupal diapause stage. As swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful, and attractive, they were once targeted by butterfly collectors. The largest of these, the birdwing butterflies are particularly sought after and are cultured in butterfly farms for the purpose of collectors. Many members of the family feed as larvae on plants of the citrus family, Rutaceae. Some of these attractive butterflies are therefore considered pests in citrus orchards. The Oregon swallowtail is the state insect of Oregon. The eastern tiger swallowtail is the state insect of Virginia and the state butterfly of Georgia, Delaware, and South Carolina. The
Swallowtail butterfly species inhabit altitudes ranging from sea level to high mountains, as in the case of most species of "Parnassius". The majority of swallowtail species and the greatest diversity are found in the tropics and subtropical regions between 20°N and 20°S, particularly Southeast Asia, and between 20°N and 40°N in East Asia. Only 12 species are found in Europe and only one species, "Papilio machaon" is found in the British Isles. North America has 40 species, including several tropical species and "Parnassius". The northernmost swallowtail is the Siberian Apollo ("Parnassius arcticus"), found in the Arctic Circle in northeastern Yakutia, at altitudes