Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Georgia's State Butterfly
Photography by Curtis Beaird
The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail officially became Georgia's State Butterfly
in the Georgia General Assembly in 1988.
From GeorgiaInfo - An online Georgia Almanac:
Georgia General Assembly
TIGER SWALLOWTAIL DESIGNATED AS THE OFFICIAL STATE BUTTERFLY.
Code Section 50-3-62 Enacted.
No. 1271 (Senate Bill No. 449).
AN ACT
To amend Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to other state symbols, so as to designate the tiger swallowtail as the official state butterfly; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, butterflies in their resplendent beauty have fascinated children and adults for ages; and
WHEREAS, the Greeks believed that the butterfly emerging from the chrysalis represented man’s metamorphosis from the mortal to the eternal; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Deen Day Smith, the current President of The Garden Clubs of Georgia, Inc., was inspired by that same metaphor to donate funds in memory of the late Cecil B. Day to build a butterfly center at Callaway Gardens; and
WHEREAS, the Day Butterfly Center which is scheduled to open the latter part of 1988 will stress the importance of conservation of the land and its plants and animals for the enjoyment of present and future generations; and
WHEREAS, it is only fitting and proper that the tiger swallowtail be designated as the official state butterfly.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IN ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
Section 1. Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to other state symbols, is amended by adding a new Code Section 50-3-62 at the end thereof to read as follows:
“50-3-62. The tiger swallowtail is designated as the official Georgia state butterfly.”
Section 2. All laws and parts of law in conflict with this Act are repealed.
Approved April 4, 1988
Source: Ga. Laws 1988, pp. 853-54.
Copyright 2014, Curtis and Norma Beaird. All rights reserved.
