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 73 - 96 of 3268 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 22, 2023
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 23, 2023
Observation date: Jul 17, 2023
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Laramie County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 18, 2023
Observation date: Jul 15, 2023
Submitted by: Petermotz
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 16, 2023
Observation date: Jul 15, 2023
Submitted by: ridgeboy
Region: Polk County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 15, 2023
Observation date: Jul 14, 2023
Submitted by: parete
Region: Maury County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 14, 2023
Observation date: Jul 02, 2023
Submitted by: ccoll78
Region: Leavenworth County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 02, 2023
Observation date: Aug 12, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Isabella County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jun 26, 2023
Observation date: Jun 06, 2023
Submitted by: Roose
Region: Saginaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jun 26, 2023
Observation date: Jun 15, 2023
Submitted by: Pkleinsasser
Region: St. Johns County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 17, 2023
Observation date: Jun 14, 2023
Submitted by: pkmcp
Region: Brown County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 14, 2023
Observation date: Jun 13, 2023
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 13, 2023
Observation date: Jun 10, 2023
Submitted by: T.M.Aigner@gmail.com
Region: Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jun 11, 2023
Observation date: Jun 09, 2023
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 11, 2023
Observation date: Jun 06, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 07, 2023
Observation date: Jun 07, 2023
Submitted by: Noey D
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 07, 2023
Observation date: Jun 04, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 05, 2023
Observation date: May 31, 2023
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 01, 2023
Observation date: Apr 19, 2022
Submitted by: hsmarshall
Region: Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 25, 2023
Observation date: Jul 09, 2022
Submitted by: hsmarshall
Region: Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 25, 2023
Observation date: Apr 07, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 18, 2023
Observation date: Apr 18, 2023
Submitted by: Vickycesani
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 18, 2023
Observation date: Apr 11, 2023
Submitted by: Sunnyduck
Region: Creek County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Apr 18, 2023
Observation date: Apr 05, 2023
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 05, 2023
Observation date: Mar 28, 2023
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 30, 2023
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