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 265 - 288 of 3344 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 08, 2020
Submitted by: Deb Peterson
Region: Charlotte County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 01, 2022
Observation date: Nov 28, 2017
Submitted by: Zach Eckert
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 24, 2022
Observation date: Feb 19, 2022
Submitted by: supermandonlong
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 19, 2022
Observation date: Feb 19, 2022
Submitted by: Brendavent
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 19, 2022
Observation date: Aug 20, 2016
Submitted by: Dr. Philippe Blais
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 16, 2022
Observation date: Jul 30, 2018
Submitted by: Allen B
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Feb 13, 2022
Observation date: Sep 05, 2017
Submitted by: a-o
Region: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 11, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2020
Submitted by: Alltoys
Region: Bay County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 11, 2022
Observation date: Jul 07, 2018
Submitted by: Marquy275
Region: Macomb County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 11, 2022
Observation date: Sep 20, 2011
Submitted by: Ilse Gebhard
Region: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 11, 2022
Observation date: Sep 26, 2016
Submitted by: Rimco4ever@aol.com
Region: North Carolina, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 09, 2022
Observation date: Aug 28, 2013
Submitted by: Allen B
Region: Warren County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Jan 19, 2022
Observation date: May 22, 2012
Submitted by: Allen B
Region: Warren County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Jan 10, 2022
Observation date: Sep 01, 2019
Submitted by: jmacmetro
Region: Bergen County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Dec 08, 2021
Observation date: Sep 14, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 02, 2021
Observation date: Jul 29, 2019
Submitted by: marion mahn
Region: Bergen County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Dec 02, 2021
Observation date: Sep 02, 2019
Submitted by: MelloK
Region: Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Nov 19, 2021
Observation date: Nov 01, 2021
Submitted by: Rmclaughlin
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 11, 2021
Observation date: Sep 28, 2017
Submitted by: Prcorbett
Region: Howard County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 06, 2021
Observation date: Aug 30, 2019
Submitted by: rabbitrun
Region: New Castle County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 02, 2021
Observation date: Aug 29, 2019
Submitted by: rabbitrun
Region: New Castle County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 02, 2021
Observation date: Sep 04, 2019
Submitted by: insectgarden
Region: Harford County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 02, 2021
Observation date: Aug 26, 2021
Submitted by: Jonathan Clark
Region: Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 31, 2021
Observation date: Oct 24, 2021
Submitted by: Rmclaughlin
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 27, 2021
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