Ruby-spotted Swallowtail
Papilio anchisiades Esper, 1788
Family: Papilionidae
Subfamily: Papilioninae
Identification: Large and black with no tails. Female\'s upper forewing cell has diffuse white patch; hindwing has postmedian pink patch.
Wing Span: 2 3/4 - 4 inches (7 - 10 cm).
Life History: Females lay eggs in groups on host plant leaves. Caterpillars rest in clusters on host plant during the day and feed at night; they all feed and molt at the same time.
Flight: Several from May-October.
Caterpillar Hosts: Trees in the citrus (Rutaceae) family including Citrus, Casimiroa, and Zanthoxylum species.
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Lowland tropical forests, citrus groves, gardens.
Range: From south Texas south to Argentina. A rare stray to Kansas, southeast Arizona, and west Texas.
Conservation: Not usually required. Status should be determined in south Texas (may be extirpated).
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None noted.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 46 verified sightings
Observation date: Nov 29, 2025
Submitted by: KristyBaker
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 30, 2025
Observation date: Nov 29, 2025
Submitted by: KristyBaker
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 30, 2025
Observation date: Nov 29, 2025
Submitted by: Craig M Lipski
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 30, 2025
Observation date: Nov 18, 2025
Submitted by: Craig M Lipski
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 19, 2025
Observation date: Nov 17, 2025
Submitted by: Raul Delgado
Region: Texas, Webb County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 19, 2025
Observation date: Oct 25, 2025
Submitted by: terrymortier
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 10, 2025
Observation date: Jun 29, 2025
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jun 29, 2025
Observation date: Jan 31, 2025
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Cayo District, Belize
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Mar 13, 2025
Observation date: Aug 11, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Aug 16, 2024
Observation date: Oct 19, 2022
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: El Salvador
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: May 28, 2023
Observation date: Aug 20, 2017
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Panama
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 14, 2022
Observation date: Aug 17, 2017
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Panama
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 14, 2022
Observation date: Aug 16, 2018
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Oct 13, 2022
Observation date: Sep 24, 2022
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Sep 28, 2022
Observation date: Jul 18, 2020
Submitted by: fito33
Region: La Libertad, El Salvador
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 10, 2022
Observation date: Jul 18, 2020
Submitted by: fito33
Region: La Libertad, El Salvador
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 10, 2022
Observation date: Jul 18, 2020
Submitted by: fito33
Region: La Libertad, El Salvador
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 10, 2022
Observation date: Aug 20, 2022
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Aug 20, 2022
Observation date: Mar 09, 2019
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Aug 05, 2022
Observation date: Nov 26, 2016
Submitted by: bobscafe
Region: Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Aug 01, 2022
Observation date: Nov 26, 2016
Submitted by: bobscafe
Region: Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Aug 01, 2022
Observation date: Dec 05, 2016
Submitted by: bobscafe
Region: Alajuela, Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jul 31, 2022
Observation date: Jul 27, 2021
Submitted by: Manderwrites
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jun 26, 2022
Observation date: Sep 30, 2021
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jun 22, 2022
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