Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

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
Get your BAMONA Gear!

Hoodies and t-shirts in two designs!


Advertise with us!

Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.