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 73 - 96 of 7816 verified sightings
Observation date: Feb 26, 2024
Submitted by: kericson
Region: Polk County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 26, 2024
Observation date: May 01, 2023
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jan 24, 2024
Observation date: May 27, 2021
Submitted by: Palmiera
Region: Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jan 23, 2024
Observation date: Aug 12, 2023
Submitted by: Stillwater Girl
Region: Muskegon County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jan 17, 2024
Observation date: Jun 08, 2023
Submitted by: tmblok87
Region: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jan 17, 2024
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: SNitzsch
Region: Genesee County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jan 17, 2024
Observation date: Oct 20, 2023
Submitted by: Amerika352
Region: Marion County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 20, 2023
Observation date: Oct 01, 2022
Submitted by: nysnej
Region: Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 17, 2023
Observation date: Sep 10, 2023
Submitted by: ridgeboy
Region: Polk County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 10, 2023
Observation date: Sep 07, 2023
Submitted by: tedzimmerman
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 09, 2023
Observation date: Sep 06, 2023
Submitted by: TNnutter
Region: Warren County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 06, 2023
Observation date: Sep 01, 2023
Submitted by: KShell
Region: Dixie County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 05, 2023
Observation date: Sep 04, 2023
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 04, 2023
Observation date: Sep 04, 2023
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 04, 2023
Observation date: Sep 01, 2023
Submitted by: cp2023
Region: Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 04, 2023
Observation date: Sep 01, 2023
Submitted by: davek
Region: Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 02, 2023
Observation date: Aug 28, 2023
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 28, 2023
Observation date: Aug 14, 2023
Submitted by: Slreitz1952
Region: Warren County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 26, 2023
Observation date: Aug 24, 2023
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 24, 2023
Observation date: Aug 22, 2023
Submitted by: RLS
Region: Monroe County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 22, 2023
Observation date: Aug 22, 2023
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 22, 2023
Observation date: Aug 19, 2023
Submitted by: dlister
Region: Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Jul 31, 2023
Submitted by: getherington
Region: Putnam County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 20, 2023
Observation date: Aug 16, 2023
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 16, 2023
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