Polydamas Swallowtail
Battus polydamas (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Papilionidae
Subfamily: Papilioninae
Identification: Lacks tails. Black above with submarginal yellow band.
Wing Span: 3 1/2 - 4 1/2 inches (9 - 12 cm).
Life History: Female lays eggs in groups of 10-14 on exposed new stems or growing tips of vines. Caterpillars feed in groups when young. Overwinter as chrysalids.
Flight: Two-3 flights from April-November.
Caterpillar Hosts: Pipevines (Aristolochia species).
Adult Food: Nectar of lantana. Occasionally seen feeding on honeysuckle and soapweed flowers.
Habitat: Open woods, abandoned fields, disturbed areas.
Range: South Texas and peninsular Florida south to Argentina. Strays north to Kentucky and Missouri.
Conservation: None noted.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Manage habitat for caterpillar host plant and nectar sources.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 269 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 24, 2021
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Oct 13, 2022
Observation date: Jul 29, 2020
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Oct 13, 2022
Observation date: Jun 23, 2020
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Oct 13, 2022
Observation date: Jun 12, 2020
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Oct 13, 2022
Observation date: Jun 07, 2020
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Oct 13, 2022
Observation date: Apr 19, 2020
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Oct 13, 2022
Observation date: Mar 27, 2020
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Oct 12, 2022
Observation date: Jun 05, 2018
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Oct 12, 2022
Observation date: Jun 11, 2016
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Oct 12, 2022
Observation date: Mar 04, 2016
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Oct 12, 2022
Observation date: Jun 22, 2015
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Oct 12, 2022
Observation date: Jul 24, 2022
Submitted by: MrWndrfl
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 24, 2022
Observation date: Sep 30, 2021
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: Jun 16, 2022
Submitted by: Voyager6331
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 16, 2022
Observation date: May 26, 2022
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 02, 2022
Observation date: Apr 19, 2022
Submitted by: Ron Stauber
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 19, 2022
Observation date: Oct 17, 2021
Submitted by: Birdwatcher5
Region: Volusia County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 03, 2022
Observation date: Mar 19, 2022
Submitted by: Rick Newman
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 22, 2022
Observation date: Jun 26, 2010
Submitted by: Deb Peterson
Region: Charlotte County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 08, 2022
Observation date: Jul 01, 2020
Submitted by: Deb Peterson
Region: Charlotte County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 01, 2022
Observation date: Oct 18, 2021
Submitted by: princessmarilyn
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 26, 2021
Observation date: Oct 24, 2021
Submitted by: Casemar
Region: Citrus County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 24, 2021
Observation date: Jun 08, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 29, 2021
Observation date: Mar 02, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 29, 2021
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