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 217 - 240 of 7816 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 19, 2016
Submitted by: JoseBonner
Region: Monroe County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 22, 2022
Observation date: Aug 07, 2009
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: Aug 04, 2021
Submitted by: c4c
Region: Bedford County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: Aug 24, 2021
Submitted by: Mendrola
Region: Alleghany County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: Aug 06, 2021
Submitted by: Becky Byrum
Region: Delaware County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Aug 26, 2021
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Aug 06, 2021
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Jun 13, 2022
Submitted by: StevebrownLepid
Region: Lynchburg, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 19, 2022
Observation date: Jun 16, 2022
Submitted by: Don Marotte
Region: Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 16, 2022
Observation date: Jun 08, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 13, 2022
Observation date: Jun 04, 2022
Submitted by: Ohio97
Region: Warren County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Jun 12, 2022
Observation date: Jun 10, 2022
Submitted by: rhedden
Region: Rensselaer County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 11, 2022
Observation date: May 29, 2022
Submitted by: Texag
Region: Galveston County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 08, 2022
Observation date: Jun 02, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 04, 2022
Observation date: Jun 03, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 04, 2022
Observation date: Jun 04, 2022
Submitted by: Jgrugeon
Region: Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 04, 2022
Observation date: May 30, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 01, 2022
Observation date: May 27, 2022
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 30, 2022
Observation date: May 29, 2022
Submitted by: jhdwelly
Region: Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 30, 2022
Observation date: May 28, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 29, 2022
Observation date: May 11, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Montour County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 12, 2022
Observation date: Apr 22, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Crittenden County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 07, 2022
Observation date: Mar 23, 2022
Submitted by: hmseiver
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 03, 2022
Observation date: Jul 08, 2019
Submitted by: Allen B
Region: Ocean County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Feb 13, 2022
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