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Species Detail

Thoas Swallowtail

Papilio thoas Linnaeus, 1771

JPG -- species photo

Attributes of Papilio thoas


Family: Parnassians and Swallowtails (Papilionidae)

Subfamily: Swallowtails (Papilioninae)

Identification: Upperside of forewing has diagonal yellow band of square spots in a neat row.

Life history: Caterpillars resemble bird droppings and rest exposed on leaves.

Flight: Year-round in the tropics, April-July in south Texas.

Wing span: 4 1/8 - 5 inches (10.5 - 12.8 cm).

Caterpillar hosts: Plants in the citrus family (Rutaceae) including Citrus spp., prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum), hop tree (Ptelea trifoliata); six species in the Piperaceae family.

Adult food: Flower nectar, including lantana, cesalpina, and bougainvilla.

Habitat: Mid-elevation tropical forests and lowland edges.

Range: South Texas south to Brazil. Very rare stray into Kansas and Oklahoma.

Conservation: Not needed in the United States.

NatureServe Global Status: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.

Management needs: None in the United States.

Documented Records for Papilio thoas



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