Giant Swallowtail
Papilio cresphontes Cramer, 1777
Family: Papilionidae
Subfamily: Papilioninae
Identification: Forewing with diagonal band of yellow spots. Tails are edged with black and filled with yellow.
Wing Span: 4 - 6 1/4 inches (10.2 - 16 cm).
Life History: Males patrol for receptive females. Females lay single eggs on host leaves and twigs. Caterpillars resemble bird droppings and eat leaves and young shoots. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: Two in the north from May-September; all year in Florida and the Deep South.
Caterpillar Hosts: Trees and herbs of the citrus family (Rutaceae) including Citrus species, prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum), hop tree (Ptelea trifoliata), and Common Rue (Ruta graveolens).
Adult Food: Nectar from lantana, azalea, bougainvilla, bouncing Bet, dame's rocket, goldenrod, Japanese honeysuckle, and swamp milkweed.
Habitat: Many locales including rocky and sandy hillsides near streams or gullies in the north; pine flats, towns, and citrus groves in the south.
Range: Throughout eastern North America west to the Rocky Mountains, south through the desert Southwest to South America. A rare stray to Quebec, North Dakota, and Bermuda.
Conservation: Not required in the United States.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Caterpillars ("orange dogs") are occasional pests of citrus.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 121 - 144 of 3239 verified sightings
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Observation date: Aug 05, 2022
Submitted by: Nilesh Shah
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 12, 2022
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Observation date: Aug 10, 2022
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 11, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/0o8a4111.jpg?itok=TszQQ1l3)
Observation date: Aug 11, 2022
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 11, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/4f041818-7a92-4c5b-a9b6-b6a9967d4b8d.jpeg?itok=giSPOKDV)
Observation date: Aug 10, 2022
Submitted by: Teswenson
Region: Burnett County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 10, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/4c44f01a-5f46-4cc2-a525-81d3d8df255f.jpeg?itok=CSWtMuBf)
Observation date: Aug 09, 2022
Submitted by: Teswenson
Region: Burnett County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 10, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/2022_08_05_giant_swallowtail_anise_hyssop.jpg?itok=8lGV6_PX)
Observation date: Aug 05, 2022
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 09, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/2022_08_06_giant_swallowtail_fall_phlox1.jpg?itok=dmEKOWa8)
Observation date: Aug 06, 2022
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 09, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20220729_062738.jpg?itok=7P04_Hwv)
Observation date: Jul 23, 2022
Submitted by: D Grimes
Region: Hernando County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 06, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 31, 2022
Submitted by: michellelynn1982
Region: Orange County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 06, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_2813_giant_swallowtail_8_6_2022.jpg?itok=VdXIEa0W)
Observation date: Aug 06, 2022
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 06, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/giantswallowtail_egg_on_citrus.jpg?itok=EV8kkeqQ)
Observation date: May 25, 2022
Submitted by: Texag
Region: Galveston County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 05, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_9424_1.jpg?itok=uqmuthzX)
Observation date: Aug 04, 2022
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 04, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20220803_130104.jpg?itok=Wa9xUy-t)
Observation date: Aug 03, 2022
Submitted by: cwstudio
Region: Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 03, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 26, 2022
Submitted by: Lynn Ferris
Region: Dutchess County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 30, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 10, 2022
Submitted by: Eldiem
Region: Hancock County, Mississippi, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 22, 2022
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Observation date: Jun 08, 2022
Submitted by: mbroen
Region: St. Croix County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 20, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 14, 2022
Submitted by: JamesACottingham
Region: Coffee County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 17, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/giant_swallowtail_aka_papilio_cresphontes_a_rare_sighting_at_spring_creek_july_24_2021_3.jpg?itok=pgIzcm2F)
Observation date: Jul 24, 2021
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 16, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/a4f13222-51ad-43d7-bdf8-f55e80d02f49.jpeg?itok=JT6Fg8F-)
Observation date: Jun 10, 2022
Submitted by: Ashlee1
Region: Polk County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 14, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/giant_swallowtail_and_egg_on_citrus_tree.jpg?itok=Po7FXXCe)
Observation date: Jul 04, 2022
Submitted by: Russ Wigh
Region: Chatham County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 09, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/23_giant_swallowtail_34p_sk_6-16-22.jpg?itok=gbDM6yWV)
Observation date: Jun 16, 2022
Submitted by: Russ Wigh
Region: Chatham County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 09, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/giant_swallowtail_02.jpg?itok=ZTX3jBK4)
Observation date: Jun 28, 2022
Submitted by: pkondrashov
Region: Adair County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 28, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p1120630.jpg?itok=2ONoK0yf)
Observation date: Aug 07, 2009
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p1180347.jpg?itok=nv-HcCtK)
Observation date: Jun 18, 2022
Submitted by: Tom Wiseman
Region: Piatt County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
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