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 241 - 264 of 7816 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 20, 2018
Submitted by: bweil
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 12, 2022
Observation date: Jun 30, 2016
Submitted by: Folkertjar
Region: Michigan, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 12, 2022
Observation date: Sep 11, 2017
Submitted by: a-o
Region: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 11, 2022
Observation date: Jun 17, 2008
Submitted by: Ilse Gebhard
Region: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 11, 2022
Observation date: Jul 12, 2019
Submitted by: Javajane
Region: Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Feb 05, 2022
Observation date: Jul 23, 2005
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Jan 30, 2022
Observation date: Jul 23, 2005
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Jan 30, 2022
Observation date: Jul 21, 2020
Submitted by: Shawnann74
Region: Oldham County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 01, 2022
Observation date: May 30, 2020
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Dec 31, 2021
Observation date: Jul 23, 2016
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 10, 2021
Observation date: May 05, 2021
Submitted by: Allen B
Region: Fentress County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Dec 09, 2021
Observation date: Aug 09, 2021
Submitted by: mathgeek
Region: Jackson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Dec 04, 2021
Observation date: Aug 06, 2019
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Dec 04, 2021
Observation date: May 08, 2017
Submitted by: eric_hough
Region: Barry County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Nov 30, 2021
Observation date: Aug 10, 2021
Submitted by: Victoire Batiste
Region: Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Nov 18, 2021
Observation date: Jul 12, 2016
Submitted by: Ansel Oommen
Region: Kings County, New York, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 10, 2021
Observation date: Apr 28, 2018
Submitted by: Darrin Frye
Region: Montgomery County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 07, 2021
Observation date: Mar 10, 2019
Submitted by: lizmcd
Region: Garrett County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 07, 2021
Observation date: May 24, 2018
Submitted by: jwilkinson
Region: Montgomery County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 05, 2021
Observation date: Jun 05, 2019
Submitted by: ruthoriel
Region: Worcester County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 04, 2021
Observation date: Aug 01, 2019
Submitted by: sooziearnold
Region: Calvert County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 03, 2021
Observation date: Aug 22, 2021
Submitted by: Karen Richardson
Region: Medina County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 02, 2021
Observation date: Aug 16, 2019
Submitted by: WndrWmn
Region: Cecil County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 02, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2021
Submitted by: chneal
Region: Campbell County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Oct 30, 2021
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