Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus Linnaeus, 1758
Family: Papilionidae
Subfamily: Papilioninae
Identification: Upper surface of forewing is mostly black with ivory spots along margin. Upper surface of hindwing has orange spot on costal margin and sheen of bluish (female) or bluish-green (male) scales. Underside of hindwing with pale green marginal spots.
Wing Span: 3 - 4 inches (7.5 - 10 cm).
Life History: Males patrol in woods, roads and woodland edges to find receptive females. Females lay single eggs on underside of host plant leaves. Caterpillars live in shelters of folded-over leaves and come out to feed at night. Some chrysalids from each generation hibernate.
Flight: 2 generations per year from April-October. In Florida, several generations between March-December.
Caterpillar Hosts: Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), sassafras trees (Sassafras albidum); perhaps prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum), tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana), camphor (Cinnamomum camphora), and redbay (Persea borbonia).
Adult Food: Nectar from Japanese honeysuckle, jewelweed, thistles, milkweed, azalea, dogbane, lantana, mimosa, and sweet pepperbush.
Habitat: Deciduous woodlands, fields, roadsides, yards, pine barrens, wooded swamps, and parks.
Range: Eastern states from southern Canada to Florida; west to Oklahoma and central Texas. Occasionally strays to North Dakota, central Colorado, and Cuba.
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.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 7077 verified sightings
Observation date: Mar 20, 2019
Submitted by: mellielong
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 24, 2019
Observation date: Aug 26, 2018
Submitted by: stomlins701
Region: Elmore County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 18, 2019
Observation date: Aug 24, 2018
Submitted by: stomlins701
Region: Elmore County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 18, 2019
Observation date: Aug 11, 2018
Submitted by: stomlins701
Region: Elmore County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 18, 2019
Observation date: Mar 07, 2019
Submitted by: mellielong
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 09, 2019
Observation date: Mar 02, 2019
Submitted by: kellydfl
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 03, 2019
Observation date: Aug 05, 2017
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Clinton County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Mar 03, 2019
Observation date: Feb 25, 2019
Submitted by: Englishman
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 26, 2019
Observation date: Nov 06, 2018
Submitted by: Sashaybla
Region: Jefferson County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 21, 2018
Observation date: Jul 13, 2015
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Nov 12, 2018
Observation date: Jul 01, 2018
Submitted by: Bixia
Region: Orange County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 31, 2018
Observation date: Jun 30, 2018
Submitted by: Bixia
Region: Orange County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 31, 2018
Observation date: Jul 18, 2018
Submitted by: Bixia
Region: Volusia County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 31, 2018
Observation date: Jul 18, 2018
Submitted by: Bixia
Region: Volusia County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 31, 2018
Observation date: Jul 12, 2018
Submitted by: Bixia
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 31, 2018
Observation date: Sep 16, 2018
Submitted by: Randomrover88
Region: Kankakee County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 28, 2018
Observation date: Oct 13, 2018
Submitted by: Smokymntlady
Region: Swain County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 15, 2018
Observation date: Sep 02, 2018
Submitted by: Gindler
Region: Montgomery County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 15, 2018
Observation date: Sep 19, 2018
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 13, 2018
Observation date: Jul 21, 2018
Submitted by: mathgeek
Region: Jackson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 09, 2018
Observation date: Aug 04, 2018
Submitted by: widowman10
Region: Washington County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 08, 2018
Observation date: Jul 19, 2018
Submitted by: mathgeek
Region: Jackson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 08, 2018
Observation date: Jul 19, 2018
Submitted by: HaroldGB
Region: Fayette County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Oct 08, 2018
Observation date: Sep 26, 2018
Submitted by: Cropduster
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 08, 2018
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