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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 1042 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 05, 2017
Submitted by: grimmricksen
Region: Utah County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Jun 09, 2017
Submitted by: Faith Pearson
Region: Davis County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Jun 24, 2017
Submitted by: Mgrinds
Region: Grand County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: May 30, 2016
Submitted by: Darkbluecelt
Region: Grand County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Aug 03, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Quay County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 04, 2023
Observation date: Jul 21, 2023
Submitted by: mischiefmao@gma...
Region: Gallatin County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 28, 2023
Observation date: May 20, 2023
Submitted by: katb1
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jul 23, 2023
Observation date: Jun 28, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 15, 2023
Observation date: Jul 05, 2023
Submitted by: RoxannaTessman
Region: Jackson County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 12, 2023
Observation date: Jul 11, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 12, 2023
Observation date: Jun 30, 2023
Submitted by: Skfreeman2023
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 02, 2023
Observation date: Jun 25, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 25, 2023
Observation date: Jun 23, 2023
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jun 24, 2023
Observation date: Jun 23, 2023
Submitted by: williamharmonlds
Region: McKinley County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 23, 2023
Observation date: Jun 16, 2023
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 22, 2023
Observation date: Jun 09, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 13, 2023
Observation date: May 30, 2023
Submitted by: gjyanicki
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 12, 2023
Observation date: Jun 09, 2023
Submitted by: jallen
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 11, 2023
Observation date: Jun 07, 2023
Submitted by: asombro_institute
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
Observation date: Jun 03, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
Observation date: Jun 04, 2023
Submitted by: asombro_institute
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
Observation date: May 25, 2023
Submitted by: SuesB
Region: Sherman County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 27, 2023
Observation date: Apr 19, 2023
Submitted by: EggsE
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 03, 2023
Observation date: Apr 12, 2023
Submitted by: Joshua C
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 14, 2023
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