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 25 - 48 of 3329 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 16, 2025
Submitted by: LittleWoodSatyr
Region: Defiance County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 16, 2025
Observation date: Aug 14, 2025
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 14, 2025
Observation date: Aug 11, 2025
Submitted by: leskokid
Region: Monroe County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 12, 2025
Observation date: Aug 06, 2025
Submitted by: jweissmann
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 08, 2025
Observation date: Aug 04, 2025
Submitted by: Kipepeo49
Region: Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 05, 2025
Observation date: Jul 04, 2025
Submitted by: KristyBaker
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 03, 2025
Observation date: Jul 30, 2025
Submitted by: ElleM
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 31, 2025
Observation date: Jul 26, 2025
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Morris County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 30, 2025
Observation date: Jul 22, 2025
Submitted by: whhowe
Region: Ontario County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 26, 2025
Observation date: May 26, 2025
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 20, 2025
Observation date: Mar 26, 2020
Submitted by: Rob Williams
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Jul 05, 2025
Submitted by: tldartez98
Region: Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 10, 2025
Observation date: Jul 27, 2024
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Warren County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 09, 2025
Observation date: Jul 04, 2025
Submitted by: Blablancwillis
Region: Douglas County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 04, 2025
Observation date: Apr 29, 2025
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Jul 03, 2025
Observation date: Jun 17, 2025
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Dunn County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 27, 2025
Observation date: Jun 12, 2025
Submitted by: sewbreezie
Region: Schenectady County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 13, 2025
Observation date: Apr 23, 1996
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Denton County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 09, 2025
Observation date: Jun 06, 2025
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 06, 2025
Observation date: Mar 29, 2025
Submitted by: sasd
Region: Texas, Travis County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 25, 2025
Observation date: Mar 30, 2025
Submitted by: sasd
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 25, 2025
Observation date: Sep 08, 2024
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: BarbSendelbach
Verified date: Mar 10, 2025
Observation date: Jul 23, 2024
Submitted by: michbirder
Region: Midland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Feb 27, 2025
Observation date: Jul 25, 2024
Submitted by: nc1marm
Region: St. Clair County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Feb 27, 2025
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