Attributes of Papilio cresphontes
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.
Taxonomy Notes:
Images of Papilio cresphontes
Click on an image to view full size and to see additional details.
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The map below displays all verified sighting records in the BAMONA database for this species. Each record is indicated with a yellow dot. The orange dots on the map provide access to information about the 200 most recently verified sightings of this species. In some instances, there are several records at the same location. Use the table view to access these records.
Instructions: Click on the map and move your mouse to pan.
Zoom by using the plus [+] and minus [-] on the left side of the map.
To change which map layers are displayed, click on the plus sign [+] on the right side of the map.
The fifty most recently verified sightings are below. See more recently verified sightings of all species.
| Observation Date | Submitter | Region |
Verified Date |
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May 05, 2012 | Everlast | Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States | May 16, 2012 | Details |
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May 07, 2012 | 1sparrow | Rutland County, Vermont, United States | May 16, 2012 | Details |
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May 11, 2012 | Marv and Sue Elliott | Rutland County, Vermont, United States | May 16, 2012 | Details |
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May 12, 2012 | Marv and Sue Elliott | Addison County, Vermont, United States | May 16, 2012 | Details |
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May 02, 2012 | uniprokbs | Collier County, Florida, United States | May 14, 2012 | Details |
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March 18, 2012 | ezeedad | Los Angeles County, California, United States | May 10, 2012 | Details |
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April 26, 2012 | patlynnprice@gmail.com | Harris County, Texas, United States | May 06, 2012 | Details |
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March 28, 2012 | jftrahan | Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States | April 05, 2012 | Details |
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April 01, 2012 | pedalpics | Pima County, Arizona, United States | April 05, 2012 | Details |
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March 20, 2012 | Americus Garden Inn | Georgia, Sumter County, United States | March 26, 2012 | Details |
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September 12, 2011 | Rhonda Broadway | Sarasota County, Florida, United States | January 22, 2012 | Details |
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September 12, 2011 | Rhonda Broadway | Sarasota County, Florida, United States | January 22, 2012 | Details |
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September 12, 2010 | Karen Adams | Franklin County, Ohio, United States | January 21, 2012 | Details |
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September 07, 2004 | cyric | Martin County, Florida, United States | December 14, 2011 | Details |
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April 14, 2010 | rseidler | Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, United States | November 27, 2011 | Details |
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August 09, 2011 | Connie | Minnesota, United States | November 25, 2011 | Details |
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October 20, 2011 | mulhopd | Charlotte County, Florida, United States | November 20, 2011 | Details |
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September 27, 2011 | southgagal | Berrien County, Georgia, United States | November 18, 2011 | Details |
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August 09, 2008 | jim8435wisc | Vernon County, Wisconsin, United States | November 17, 2011 | Details |
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October 25, 2011 | rufussss7 | Vernon Parish, Louisiana, United States | November 05, 2011 | Details |
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August 07, 2011 | kmpfeiffer | Bennington County, Vermont, United States | November 02, 2011 | Details |
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August 18, 2011 | kmpfeiffer | Bennington County, Vermont, United States | November 02, 2011 | Details |
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August 02, 2011 | Alex_Dado | Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States | November 02, 2011 | Details |
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September 04, 2011 | mspingola | Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States | November 02, 2011 | Details |
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August 18, 2011 | kmpfeiffer | Bennington County, Vermont, United States | November 02, 2011 | Details |
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August 07, 2011 | kmpfeiffer | Bennington County, Vermont, United States | November 02, 2011 | Details |
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August 21, 2011 | doris spedding | Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States | November 02, 2011 | Details |
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September 15, 2011 | tarmat | Bennington County, Vermont, United States | November 02, 2011 | Details |
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October 03, 2011 | Larry522 | Washington County, Vermont, United States | November 02, 2011 | Details |
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October 22, 2011 | GarPhotog | San Diego County, California, United States | November 02, 2011 | Details |
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August 12, 2011 | Roy Pilcher | Rutland County, Vermont, United States | November 02, 2011 | Details |
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August 24, 2011 | Roy Pilcher | Rutland County, Vermont, United States | November 02, 2011 | Details |
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March 25, 2011 | Nancee Cobb | Bay County, Florida, United States | October 27, 2011 | Details |
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August 21, 2011 | marthakwasniewski | Onondaga County, New York, United States | October 26, 2011 | Details |
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August 05, 2011 | mom2krb | Erie County, New York, United States | October 26, 2011 | Details |
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September 16, 2011 | dub pen | Orange County, California, United States | October 08, 2011 | Details |
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August 22, 2011 | Kyle Jones | Windsor County, Vermont, United States | October 06, 2011 | Details |
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September 17, 2010 | GarPhotog | San Diego County, California, United States | October 05, 2011 | Details |
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October 01, 2011 | GarPhotog | San Diego County, California, United States | October 04, 2011 | Details |
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September 22, 2011 | rconnorsphoto | Hickman County, Tennessee, United States | September 30, 2011 | Details |
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August 27, 2011 | Kari | Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States | September 21, 2011 | Details |
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September 17, 2011 | Deno | Harrison County, Texas, United States | September 20, 2011 | Details |
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August 04, 2011 | astouffer | Otoe County, Nebraska, United States | September 15, 2011 | Details |
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June 19, 2011 | Nowakansan | McPherson County, Kansas, United States | September 14, 2011 | Details |
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June 27, 2011 | WingedWolfPsion | Cass County, Nebraska, United States | September 14, 2011 | Details |
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July 08, 2011 | JHSFL95 | Sumter County, Florida, United States | September 11, 2011 | Details |
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August 29, 2011 | Englishman | Hernando County, Florida, United States | September 11, 2011 | Details |
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April 23, 2011 | jftrahan | St Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States | September 09, 2011 | Details |
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September 03, 2011 | aarongunnar | Polk County, Wisconsin, United States | September 07, 2011 | Details |
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September 04, 2011 | Otalan | Prince William County, Virginia, United States | September 05, 2011 | Details |
