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 25 - 48 of 1029 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 23, 2023
Submitted by: williamharmonlds
Region: McKinley County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 23, 2023
Observation date: Jun 16, 2023
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 22, 2023
Observation date: Jun 09, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 13, 2023
Observation date: May 30, 2023
Submitted by: gjyanicki
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 12, 2023
Observation date: Jun 09, 2023
Submitted by: jallen
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 11, 2023
Observation date: Jun 07, 2023
Submitted by: asombro_institute
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
Observation date: Jun 03, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
Observation date: Jun 04, 2023
Submitted by: asombro_institute
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
Observation date: May 25, 2023
Submitted by: SuesB
Region: Sherman County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 27, 2023
Observation date: Apr 19, 2023
Submitted by: EggsE
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 03, 2023
Observation date: Apr 12, 2023
Submitted by: Joshua C
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 14, 2023
Observation date: Apr 10, 2023
Submitted by: campbell8300
Region: Texas, Randall County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 11, 2023
Observation date: Nov 14, 2021
Submitted by: Cesarmag39
Region: Jalisco, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 26, 2023
Observation date: Oct 03, 2019
Submitted by: david bershad
Region: Jalisco, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 26, 2023
Observation date: Jul 09, 2022
Submitted by: bristolmpu
Region: Harney County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 07, 2023
Observation date: Jun 12, 2021
Submitted by: MaureenH
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 07, 2023
Observation date: Jul 28, 2019
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 02, 2023
Observation date: Aug 23, 2022
Submitted by: LauEBSmx
Region: Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jan 26, 2023
Observation date: May 14, 2020
Submitted by: letafayola
Region: Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jan 26, 2023
Observation date: Jul 19, 2022
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Dec 13, 2022
Observation date: Aug 22, 2022
Submitted by: jordestay
Region: Cache County, Utah, United States
Verified by: RaisingButterfl...
Verified date: Nov 13, 2022
Observation date: Aug 19, 2022
Submitted by: stomin50
Region: Utah County, Utah, United States
Verified by: RaisingButterfl...
Verified date: Nov 13, 2022
Observation date: Oct 19, 2022
Submitted by: grosenberry
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 23, 2022
Observation date: Aug 02, 2019
Submitted by: John Gibbons
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 11, 2022
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