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 25 - 48 of 3261 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/bjd_wcca_2023_03647-papilionidae_papilio_cresphontes.jpg?itok=oujuhBfD)
Observation date: Sep 14, 2023
Submitted by: Ozark_Bill
Region: Callaway County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Ozark_Bill
Verified date: Jun 23, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_9110_giant_swallowtail_6_8_2024.jpg?itok=0nwdR1d5)
Observation date: Jun 08, 2024
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: Pierce County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 10, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/24-06-01_rnbh_ozb_0060-papilionidae-papilio_cresphontes.jpg?itok=zDS2UQRP)
Observation date: Jun 01, 2024
Submitted by: Ozark_Bill
Region: Greene County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 08, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/heraclides_cresphontes_1_eastern_giant_swallowtail.jpg?itok=dXijPXSf)
Observation date: May 08, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Ottawa County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 04, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20240522swallowtail.jpg?itok=ZRiNXsaJ)
Observation date: May 22, 2024
Submitted by: jacobslyn
Region: Ontario County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 31, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/heraclides_cresphontes_240527_jf_img_8516.jpg?itok=ChzI9J2w)
Observation date: May 27, 2024
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 27, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn1382_1.jpg?itok=mFkAVRpR)
Observation date: May 20, 2024
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 22, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_4559.jpeg?itok=D09A4g7v)
Observation date: May 13, 2024
Submitted by: Diane R Halpin
Region: Marion County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 15, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/giant_swallowtail_77.jpg?itok=wMyoP5YB)
Observation date: Apr 04, 2024
Submitted by: rkw9000
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 03, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_7648.jpg?itok=Xtt-qSNV)
Observation date: Apr 29, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 01, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_0188_7.jpg?itok=q1oMu-73)
Observation date: Apr 14, 2024
Submitted by: Ken Cheeks
Region: Edgefield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 15, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_2380_1.jpg?itok=piHz2SE_)
Observation date: Aug 25, 2022
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Apr 03, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/_y1a9549_eastern_giant_swallowtail_houston_bg.jpg?itok=BX1qS3o5)
Observation date: Mar 04, 2024
Submitted by: pamelmmc
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 12, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_20240217_150830700.jpg?itok=SnQEiPB2)
Observation date: Feb 17, 2024
Submitted by: Mohr824
Region: DeSoto County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 11, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_20240217_150830700_0.jpg?itok=-vuH5Zi1)
Observation date: Feb 17, 2024
Submitted by: Mohr824
Region: DeSoto County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 11, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_7660.jpg?itok=vVzsgvqR)
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: terrymortier
Region: Dunn County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Mar 08, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/brookfield-_001.jpg?itok=wASOrGxy)
Observation date: Sep 06, 2010
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Feb 29, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/giant_swallowtail_2007.jpg?itok=x7sify1X)
Observation date: Aug 15, 2007
Submitted by: matt johnstone
Region: Osceola County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jan 17, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/giant_swallowtail_2013.jpg?itok=AHl4w2_Q)
Observation date: Aug 16, 2013
Submitted by: matt johnstone
Region: Osceola County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jan 17, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/papilio_cresphontes.png?itok=3hFHfAN3)
Observation date: Jul 20, 2020
Submitted by: Junkmail
Region: Ascension Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 13, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20230831_heraclides_cresphontes_-_fall_creek_gorge_williamsport_in_4.jpg?itok=on1Vs3Bv)
Observation date: Aug 31, 2023
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Warren County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 10, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/927b89d9-631d-4209-bbb9-7a1f977ed9a5.jpeg?itok=Y5SqBu9z)
Observation date: Sep 25, 2023
Submitted by: Linda May
Region: Georgia, Spalding County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Oct 05, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20230918_112901.jpg?itok=MUtiORiD)
Observation date: Aug 28, 2023
Submitted by: Panda84
Region: Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 18, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/giantswallowtail20230915lymebaysc.jpg?itok=1lImeqzJ)
Observation date: Sep 15, 2023
Submitted by: JerryGriggs
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Sep 18, 2023
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