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.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 7371 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 06, 2020
Submitted by: pennmar
Region: York County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 06, 2020
Observation date: Aug 30, 2020
Submitted by: treys grammy
Region: Benton County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 03, 2020
Observation date: Aug 30, 2020
Submitted by: treys grammy
Region: Benton County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 03, 2020
Observation date: Aug 20, 2020
Submitted by: Marsrover
Region: Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 01, 2020
Observation date: Aug 28, 2020
Submitted by: Tom Wiseman
Region: Champaign County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 30, 2020
Observation date: Apr 18, 2020
Submitted by: Babo
Region: Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 28, 2020
Observation date: Aug 24, 2020
Submitted by: Mendrola
Region: Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 27, 2020
Observation date: Aug 23, 2020
Submitted by: pkondrashov
Region: Shannon County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 25, 2020
Observation date: Aug 17, 2020
Submitted by: Debo Boddiford
Region: Chatham County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 24, 2020
Observation date: Aug 23, 2020
Submitted by: treys grammy
Region: Benton County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 24, 2020
Observation date: Aug 21, 2020
Submitted by: fmroth
Region: Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 23, 2020
Observation date: Jul 21, 2020
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Anderson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Aug 22, 2020
Observation date: May 24, 2020
Submitted by: sbcsmith-rickboeth
Region: Grundy County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Aug 22, 2020
Observation date: Jun 10, 2020
Submitted by: sbcsmith-rickboeth
Region: Grundy County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Aug 22, 2020
Observation date: Jun 18, 2020
Submitted by: sbcsmith-rickboeth
Region: Grundy County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Aug 22, 2020
Observation date: Aug 15, 2020
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Wilson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Aug 22, 2020
Observation date: Aug 20, 2020
Submitted by: GinaT
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 21, 2020
Observation date: Aug 08, 2020
Submitted by: GinaT
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 21, 2020
Observation date: Aug 03, 2020
Submitted by: GinaT
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 21, 2020
Observation date: Jul 27, 2020
Submitted by: kristenej
Region: Westchester County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 20, 2020
Observation date: Aug 03, 2020
Submitted by: mathgeek
Region: Jackson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 20, 2020
Observation date: Aug 01, 2020
Submitted by: BloomfieldBees
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 19, 2020
Observation date: Aug 17, 2020
Submitted by: joanfiller
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 19, 2020
Observation date: Aug 18, 2020
Submitted by: yardbird
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 19, 2020
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