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 3268 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 23, 2022
Submitted by: DannyboyKS
Region: Douglas County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Oct 10, 2022
Observation date: Oct 09, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
Observation date: Oct 08, 2022
Submitted by: theskyeworld
Region: Bastrop County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 08, 2022
Observation date: Aug 12, 2017
Submitted by: Chip Gilbert
Region: Greenville County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 08, 2022
Observation date: Sep 28, 2022
Submitted by: theskyeworld
Region: Bastrop County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 29, 2022
Observation date: Sep 15, 2022
Submitted by: Tater Salad
Region: Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 18, 2022
Observation date: Sep 12, 2022
Submitted by: jgriff
Region: Okaloosa County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 12, 2022
Observation date: Sep 07, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Wood
Region: Boone County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Eric Wood
Verified date: Sep 10, 2022
Observation date: Aug 31, 2022
Submitted by: ReggieGal
Region: Lake County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 07, 2022
Observation date: Jul 29, 2022
Submitted by: nc1marm
Region: St. Clair County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Sep 01, 2022
Observation date: Aug 22, 2021
Submitted by: Sapper Dan
Region: Bell County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 01, 2022
Observation date: Aug 31, 2022
Submitted by: ButterflyTeam6
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 31, 2022
Observation date: Aug 30, 2022
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Harvey County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 31, 2022
Observation date: Sep 24, 2021
Submitted by: theskyeworld
Region: Bastrop County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 31, 2022
Observation date: Aug 16, 2021
Submitted by: justkim1106
Region: Texas, Uvalde County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 31, 2022
Observation date: Aug 15, 2022
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Porter County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 30, 2022
Observation date: Dec 27, 2020
Submitted by: dbrudin
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 30, 2022
Observation date: Aug 24, 2022
Submitted by: Jsedot
Region: Hardin County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 30, 2022
Observation date: Aug 23, 2022
Submitted by: Peggy Lewis
Region: Wayne County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 28, 2022
Observation date: Aug 20, 2022
Submitted by: R Uppington
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 23, 2022
Observation date: Oct 05, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Brazoria County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 21, 2022
Observation date: Aug 05, 2010
Submitted by: Wanda Smith
Region: Texas, San Jacinto County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 21, 2022
Observation date: Jun 22, 2022
Submitted by: lilkriskattn
Region: Texas, Montague County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 21, 2022
Observation date: Sep 28, 2021
Submitted by: Davi
Region: Dallas County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 21, 2022
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