Attributes of Papilio multicaudata

Two-tailed Swallowtail
Papilio multicaudata W.F. Kirby, 1884

Family: Papilionidae
Subfamily: Papilioninae
Identification: Upper surface of male forewing with narrow black stripes. Each hindwing has 2 tails.
Wing Span: 3 1/2 - 5 inches (9 - 12.7 cm).
Life History: Males patrol stream courses or city streets for receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on leaves of host plant. Caterpillars eat leaves and rest on silken mats in shelters of curled leaves. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: One flight May to mid-August in North, most of year in South.
Caterpillar Hosts: Leaves of ash (Fraxinus), hop tree (Ptelea), and chokecherry (Prunus).
Adult Food: Nectar from thistles, milkweeds, California buckeye, lilac, and many others.
Habitat: Foothill slopes and canyons, moist valleys, streamsides, woodlands, parks, roadsides, suburbs, and cities.
Range: Western North America south from British Columbia, east to central Nebraska and central Texas, south through Mexico.
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.
Taxonomy Notes:

Images of Papilio multicaudata

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Papilio multicaudata - Two-tailed_Swallowtail_2009-03-22_01crop_Gary_Jue.jpg

Papilio multicaudata - Two-tailed_Swallowtail_2009-03-22_01crop_Gary_Jue.jpg
Papilio multicaudata - papilio_multicaudata_multicaudata_caterpillar3_raisingbutterflies.jpg

Papilio multicaudata - papilio_multicaudata_multicaudata_caterpillar3_raisingbutterflies.jpg
Papilio multicaudata - papilio_multicaudata_multicaudata_caterpillar5a_raisingbutterflies.jpg

Papilio multicaudata - papilio_multicaudata_multicaudata_caterpillar5a_raisingbutterflies.jpg
Papilio multicaudata - papilio_multicaudata_multicaudata_caterpillar5b_raisingbutterflies.jpg

Papilio multicaudata - papilio_multicaudata_multicaudata_caterpillar5b_raisingbutterflies.jpg
Papilio multicaudata - Papilio_multicaudataJuly21-05CarolAdams-crop.jpg

Papilio multicaudata - Papilio_multicaudataJuly21-05CarolAdams-crop.jpg
Papilio multicaudata - papilio_multicaudata_pusillus_caterpillar5_raisingbutterflies.jpg

Papilio multicaudata - papilio_multicaudata_pusillus_caterpillar5_raisingbutterflies.jpg
Papilio multicaudata - Papilio_multicaudataMay5-02CarolAdams-crop.jpg

Papilio multicaudata - Papilio_multicaudataMay5-02CarolAdams-crop.jpg




Papilio multicaudata - Papilio_multicaudataSanders.jpg

Papilio multicaudata - Papilio_multicaudataSanders.jpg


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.

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The fifty most recently verified sightings are below. See more recently verified sightings of all species.

Observation Date Submitter Region Verified Datesort icon
June 15, 2008 hjbarkey9 Routt County, Colorado, United States May 15, 2012 Details
August 05, 2011 Tom McRoberts Jefferson County, Colorado, United States May 14, 2012 Details
September 12, 2011 Julie Crowther British Columbia, Canada April 30, 2012 Details
July 24, 2011 calidris Deschutes County, Oregon, United States April 16, 2012 Details
March 07, 2012 512kristi Texas, Travis County, United States March 08, 2012 Details
September 25, 2008 bgorum Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States February 21, 2012 Details
August 20, 2011 smidgie421 Morgan County, Utah, United States December 07, 2011 Details
September 22, 2011 lodmoore Cache County, Utah, United States December 07, 2011 Details
July 09, 2011 J_Martineau Sheridan County, Wyoming, United States November 27, 2011 Details
August 13, 2011 rjboehnke Salt Lake County, Utah, United States October 17, 2011 Details
September 01, 2011 melissa Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States September 22, 2011 Details
September 03, 2011 SeEtta Fremont County, Colorado, United States September 22, 2011 Details
September 01, 2011 LeroyinGolden Jefferson County, Colorado, United States September 22, 2011 Details
August 29, 2011 Jonespmj@comcast.net Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States September 01, 2011 Details
August 14, 2011 MelissaKoch Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States August 29, 2011 Details
June 26, 2011 Greg Dean British Columbia, Canada August 28, 2011 Details
August 27, 2011 kates52 Colorado, United States August 27, 2011 Details
June 06, 2011 magimind British Columbia, Canada August 18, 2011 Details
August 22, 2004 RaisingButterflies.org Ada County, Idaho, United States August 11, 2011 Details
July 28, 2007 RaisingButterflies.org Tooele County, Utah, United States August 11, 2011 Details
July 28, 2007 RaisingButterflies.org Tooele County, Utah, United States August 11, 2011 Details
May 21, 2011 Matt ODonnell Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States August 08, 2011 Details
October 08, 2010 Daniel San Juan County, New Mexico, United States August 07, 2011 Details
April 16, 2011 Emiy Rose New Mexico, United States August 07, 2011 Details
July 16, 2011 Doddee Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States August 07, 2011 Details
May 23, 2011 Jdammarell Stevens County, Washington, United States July 28, 2011 Details
May 29, 2011 Jdammarell Pend Oreille County, Washington, United States July 23, 2011 Details
May 07, 2011 brecogirl Weld County, Colorado, United States July 14, 2011 Details
June 28, 2002 cyric Montrose County, Colorado, United States July 14, 2011 Details
June 17, 2011 davidwdroppers Okanogan County, Washington, United States June 24, 2011 Details
September 11, 2010 stephanie Alberta, Canada May 09, 2011 Details
April 24, 2011 Glasgowc Texas, United States, Williamson County April 26, 2011 Details
April 11, 2011 lisabelmares Yavapai County, Arizona, United States April 13, 2011 Details
March 28, 2011 Robert Pima County, Arizona, United States March 31, 2011 Details
October 09, 2006 caclark Yavapai County, Arizona, United States March 16, 2011 Details
July 05, 2010 plex1ppus (plex1ppus) Spokane County, Washington, United States February 16, 2011 Details
January 27, 2011 legacy.reporter (Nelly Laris) Fort Bend County, Texas, United States January 27, 2011 Details
July 16, 2010 legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) Madison County, Montana, United States December 31, 2010 Details
June 21, 2010 legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) Elko County, Nevada, United States December 31, 2010 Details
June 23, 2010 legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) Humboldt County, Nevada, United States December 31, 2010 Details
July 11, 2010 legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) Humboldt County, Oregon, United States December 31, 2010 Details
July 22, 2010 legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) Grand County, Utah, United States December 31, 2010 Details
July 14, 2010 legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) Okanogan County, Washington, United States December 31, 2010 Details
May 23, 1964 legacy.reporter (Stan Dvorak) San Diego County, California, United States December 31, 2010 Details
June 01, 2010 Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport) Mohave County, Arizona, United States December 31, 2010 Details
May 23, 2064 legacy.reporter (Stan Dvorak) San Diego County, California, United States December 31, 2010 Details
May 23, 2064 legacy.reporter (Stan Dvorak) San Diego County, California, United States December 31, 2010 Details
May 31, 2010 legacy.reporter (Evi Buckner-Opler) Larimer County, Colorado, United States August 02, 2010 Details
July 01, 1991 legacy.reporter (W. D. Patterson) Sierra County, California, United States August 02, 2010 Details
April 02, 1988 legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) Sacramento County, California, United States August 02, 2010 Details