Giant Swallowtail
Papilio cresphontes Cramer, 1777
Family: Papilionidae
Subfamily: Papilioninae
Identification: Forewing with diagonal band of yellow spots. Tails are edged with black and filled with yellow.
Wing Span: 4 - 6 1/4 inches (10.2 - 16 cm).
Life History: Males patrol for receptive females. Females lay single eggs on host leaves and twigs. Caterpillars resemble bird droppings and eat leaves and young shoots. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: Two in the north from May-September; all year in Florida and the Deep South.
Caterpillar Hosts: Trees and herbs of the citrus family (Rutaceae) including Citrus species, prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum), hop tree (Ptelea trifoliata), and Common Rue (Ruta graveolens).
Adult Food: Nectar from lantana, azalea, bougainvilla, bouncing Bet, dame's rocket, goldenrod, Japanese honeysuckle, and swamp milkweed.
Habitat: Many locales including rocky and sandy hillsides near streams or gullies in the north; pine flats, towns, and citrus groves in the south.
Range: Throughout eastern North America west to the Rocky Mountains, south through the desert Southwest to South America. A rare stray to Quebec, North Dakota, and Bermuda.
Conservation: Not required in the United States.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Caterpillars ("orange dogs") are occasional pests of citrus.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 241 - 264 of 3344 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 14, 2022
Submitted by: JamesACottingham
Region: Coffee County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 17, 2022
Observation date: Jul 24, 2021
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 16, 2022
Observation date: Jun 10, 2022
Submitted by: Ashlee1
Region: Polk County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 14, 2022
Observation date: Jul 04, 2022
Submitted by: Russ Wigh
Region: Chatham County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 09, 2022
Observation date: Jun 16, 2022
Submitted by: Russ Wigh
Region: Chatham County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 09, 2022
Observation date: Jun 28, 2022
Submitted by: pkondrashov
Region: Adair County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 28, 2022
Observation date: Aug 07, 2009
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: Jun 18, 2022
Submitted by: Tom Wiseman
Region: Piatt County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: Aug 11, 2021
Submitted by: tmlehman
Region: Jay County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Jun 19, 2022
Submitted by: Brian Ahern
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Jun 17, 2022
Submitted by: MF
Region: Seminole County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 17, 2022
Observation date: Jun 12, 2022
Submitted by: lantanagal
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 12, 2022
Observation date: Jun 11, 2022
Submitted by: lantanagal
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 12, 2022
Observation date: Jun 02, 2022
Submitted by: Rjfischer
Region: Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 02, 2022
Observation date: Jul 17, 2019
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Harvey County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 31, 2022
Observation date: May 07, 2022
Submitted by: Texag
Region: Galveston County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 20, 2022
Observation date: May 14, 2022
Submitted by: Shardman
Region: Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: May 15, 2022
Observation date: Aug 25, 2015
Submitted by: L.Roussy
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 04, 2022
Observation date: Aug 20, 2016
Submitted by: Dr. Philippe Blais
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 04, 2022
Observation date: Jul 30, 2017
Submitted by: Sandra Woods
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 04, 2022
Observation date: Sep 05, 2017
Submitted by: Hemlock
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 04, 2022
Observation date: Jun 21, 2018
Submitted by: clea
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 04, 2022
Observation date: Aug 07, 2018
Submitted by: hmwphysics
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 04, 2022
Observation date: Aug 06, 2018
Submitted by: Margy de Gruchy
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 04, 2022
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