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 1 - 24 of 7887 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 21, 2025
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 06, 2025
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 06, 2025
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 07, 2025
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 23, 2025
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Roane County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 26, 2025
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 30, 2025
Submitted by: FunnyValentine
Region: Sumner County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Sep 26, 2025
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Sep 27, 2025
Observation date: Sep 02, 2025
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 22, 2025
Observation date: Sep 01, 2025
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 20, 2025
Observation date: Sep 07, 2025
Submitted by: Ozark_Bill
Region: St. Louis County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Ozark_Bill
Verified date: Sep 09, 2025
Observation date: Sep 04, 2025
Submitted by: Lisa McClendon
Region: Mississippi County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 05, 2025
Observation date: Sep 01, 2025
Submitted by: FunnyValentine
Region: Daviess County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 05, 2025
Observation date: Sep 01, 2025
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 02, 2025
Observation date: Aug 30, 2025
Submitted by: Lisa McClendon
Region: Iberia Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 01, 2025
Observation date: Aug 30, 2025
Submitted by: Lisa McClendon
Region: Iberia Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 01, 2025
Observation date: Aug 23, 2025
Submitted by: cfield
Region: Aiken County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 25, 2025
Observation date: Aug 22, 2025
Submitted by: cp2023
Region: Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 23, 2025
Observation date: Aug 18, 2025
Submitted by: RLS
Region: Monroe County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 20, 2025
Observation date: Jul 22, 2010
Submitted by: dbryant562
Region: Pulaski County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 19, 2025
Observation date: Jul 22, 2010
Submitted by: dbryant562
Region: Pulaski County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 19, 2025
Observation date: Jul 31, 2025
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 17, 2025
Observation date: Aug 01, 2025
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 16, 2025
Observation date: Aug 15, 2025
Submitted by: RLS
Region: Livingston County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 15, 2025
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