Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus Linnaeus, 1758
Family: Papilionidae
Subfamily: Papilioninae
Identification: Upper surface of forewing is mostly black with ivory spots along margin. Upper surface of hindwing has orange spot on costal margin and sheen of bluish (female) or bluish-green (male) scales. Underside of hindwing with pale green marginal spots.
Wing Span: 3 - 4 inches (7.5 - 10 cm).
Life History: Males patrol in woods, roads and woodland edges to find receptive females. Females lay single eggs on underside of host plant leaves. Caterpillars live in shelters of folded-over leaves and come out to feed at night. Some chrysalids from each generation hibernate.
Flight: 2 generations per year from April-October. In Florida, several generations between March-December.
Caterpillar Hosts: Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), sassafras trees (Sassafras albidum); perhaps prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum), tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana), camphor (Cinnamomum camphora), and redbay (Persea borbonia).
Adult Food: Nectar from Japanese honeysuckle, jewelweed, thistles, milkweed, azalea, dogbane, lantana, mimosa, and sweet pepperbush.
Habitat: Deciduous woodlands, fields, roadsides, yards, pine barrens, wooded swamps, and parks.
Range: Eastern states from southern Canada to Florida; west to Oklahoma and central Texas. Occasionally strays to North Dakota, central Colorado, and Cuba.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None noted.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 7805 verified sightings
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Observation date: Jul 21, 2024
Submitted by: Elfin
Region: Sussex County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 21, 2024
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Observation date: Jul 15, 2024
Submitted by: Kak0402
Region: Orange County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 20, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/papilio_troilus_20240717.jpg?itok=_X0PToiP)
Observation date: Jul 17, 2024
Submitted by: jwileyrains
Region: Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 19, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/nc240391a.jpg?itok=v-vDdKR5)
Observation date: Jul 18, 2024
Submitted by: Doug DeNeve
Region: Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 19, 2024
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Observation date: Jul 14, 2024
Submitted by: mikeminium
Region: Summit County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 16, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/papilio_troilus_spicebush_swallowtail.png?itok=r8yvTZPX)
Observation date: Jul 08, 2024
Submitted by: courtgwalsh
Region: Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 13, 2024
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Observation date: Aug 20, 2023
Submitted by: danahoover
Region: Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 13, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/system/temporary/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/temporary/filefield_paths/_mg_0529.jpeg?itok=0J7Elc6v)
Observation date: Jul 07, 2024
Submitted by: Lydiaak
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 13, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/_mg_0588.jpeg?itok=GrwgyMXQ)
Observation date: Jul 07, 2024
Submitted by: Lydiaak
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 13, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/2024_07_11_swallowtail_swamp_milkweed1.jpg?itok=OERonU-o)
Observation date: Jul 11, 2024
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 13, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_2878_0.jpeg?itok=Sc58XjRx)
Observation date: Jul 11, 2024
Submitted by: Jgrugeon
Region: Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 13, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/ad_2024-07-01_7405.jpg?itok=47pjH6Rv)
Observation date: Jul 01, 2024
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 12, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/rscn8909.jpg?itok=EUnR9CaB)
Observation date: Jul 09, 2024
Submitted by: Benjamin Miller
Region: Knox County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 10, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/spicebush_swallowtail_papilio_troilus_c_sylvan_rd_edgefield_county_inat_052824.jpg?itok=GN9HSbxh)
Observation date: Apr 22, 2024
Submitted by: Ken Cheeks
Region: Edgefield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 07, 2024
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Observation date: Aug 30, 2020
Submitted by: danahoover
Region: Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 06, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/spicebush-swallowtail-820_4609ab.jpg?itok=p4Ra_zMY)
Observation date: Aug 07, 2020
Submitted by: catbirdcat
Region: Carroll County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 21, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn1509_0.jpg?itok=riO6trWS)
Observation date: May 29, 2024
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 29, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20240525_152215.jpg?itok=eMjKjlCM)
Observation date: May 25, 2024
Submitted by: Gingurr25
Region: Posey County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 25, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_2904.jpg?itok=lny9HCK8)
Observation date: May 22, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 24, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/spicebush_swallowtail_papilio_troilus_2.jpg?itok=zT81uxvI)
Observation date: Jun 29, 2023
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/spicebush_swallowtail_papilio_troilus_1.jpg?itok=cQQhc45J)
Observation date: May 14, 2023
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/947127dc-2796-4a4e-ab9d-09f99d0920d3.jpeg?itok=JvGJI0hF)
Observation date: Jul 08, 2022
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0516.png?itok=bKDy0V4T)
Observation date: Aug 19, 2023
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_7340_7.jpg?itok=bZ4cR4kA)
Observation date: May 16, 2024
Submitted by: pamkasper@duck.com
Region: Nassau County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 16, 2024
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