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.
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 7904 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 05, 2026
Submitted by: jkarthei
Region: Morgan County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 18, 2026
Observation date: May 13, 2026
Submitted by: ashtraylarry
Region: Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 18, 2026
Observation date: May 03, 2026
Submitted by: jkarthei
Region: Morgan County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 18, 2026
Observation date: May 15, 2026
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Harford County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 17, 2026
Observation date: Aug 10, 2022
Submitted by: Pterouras
Region: Westchester County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 15, 2026
Observation date: Apr 18, 2026
Submitted by: cfield
Region: Aiken County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 21, 2026
Observation date: Apr 11, 2026
Submitted by: cfield
Region: Aiken County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 13, 2026
Observation date: Apr 10, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Athens County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 10, 2026
Observation date: Apr 05, 2026
Submitted by: Lisa McClendon
Region: Craighead County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 06, 2026
Observation date: Apr 15, 2019
Submitted by: Mboater
Region: Amherst County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Apr 01, 2026
Observation date: Apr 04, 2021
Submitted by: Andreaclement
Region: Marion County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: Alex Stach
Verified date: Apr 01, 2026
Observation date: Mar 21, 2026
Submitted by: cfield
Region: Aiken County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Mar 24, 2026
Observation date: Aug 03, 2025
Submitted by: rynthae
Region: Augusta County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 18, 2026
Observation date: Aug 22, 2025
Submitted by: Mboater
Region: Campbell County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 18, 2026
Observation date: May 01, 2016
Submitted by: Susan McSwain
Region: Nelson County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 17, 2026
Observation date: Jul 19, 2025
Submitted by: D Schreck
Region: Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Mar 15, 2026
Observation date: Apr 26, 2025
Submitted by: Kzfisherman
Region: Parke County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jan 13, 2026
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
- 1 of 330
- next ›