Two-tailed Swallowtail
Papilio multicaudata W.F. Kirby, 1884
Family: Papilionidae
Subfamily: Papilioninae
Identification: Upper surface of male forewing with narrow black stripes. Each hindwing has 2 tails.
Wing Span: 3 1/2 - 5 inches (9 - 12.7 cm).
Life History: Males patrol stream courses or city streets for receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on leaves of host plant. Caterpillars eat leaves and rest on silken mats in shelters of curled leaves. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: One flight May to mid-August in North, most of year in South.
Caterpillar Hosts: Leaves of ash (Fraxinus), hop tree (Ptelea), and chokecherry (Prunus).
Adult Food: Nectar from thistles, milkweeds, California buckeye, lilac, and many others.
Habitat: Foothill slopes and canyons, moist valleys, streamsides, woodlands, parks, roadsides, suburbs, and cities.
Range: Western North America south from British Columbia, east to central Nebraska and central Texas, south through Mexico.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None noted.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 97 - 120 of 1059 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 25, 2022
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 31, 2022
Observation date: Jul 21, 2022
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 31, 2022
Observation date: May 26, 2022
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: White Pine County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 27, 2022
Observation date: Jul 23, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 25, 2022
Observation date: Jul 17, 2022
Submitted by: Wendelin
Region: Chouteau County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 23, 2022
Observation date: Jul 22, 2022
Submitted by: RoxannaTessman
Region: Jackson County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 22, 2022
Observation date: Jul 13, 2022
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 17, 2022
Observation date: Jul 14, 2022
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 16, 2022
Observation date: Jul 07, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Mesa County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 13, 2022
Observation date: Jun 28, 2022
Submitted by: Apaccione
Region: Jefferson County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 11, 2022
Observation date: Jul 04, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: El Paso County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 11, 2022
Observation date: Jul 10, 2022
Submitted by: Kaiamaries
Region: Pennington County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 11, 2022
Observation date: Jul 07, 2022
Submitted by: Marlahiggins
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 10, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2022
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Yellowstone County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 09, 2022
Observation date: Jul 01, 2022
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 08, 2022
Observation date: Jul 06, 2022
Submitted by: cklindsey
Region: Walla Walla County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 07, 2022
Observation date: Jul 02, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 03, 2022
Observation date: Jun 24, 2022
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 02, 2022
Observation date: Jun 20, 2022
Submitted by: Janet Ruth
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Jun 09, 2017
Submitted by: dbryant562
Region: Coconino County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 07, 2022
Observation date: May 25, 2022
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Yakima County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 26, 2022
Observation date: May 21, 2022
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 25, 2022
Observation date: Apr 02, 2022
Submitted by: asabspade
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 16, 2022
Observation date: May 11, 2022
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 14, 2022
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