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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 289 - 312 of 7924 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 20, 2022
Submitted by: KSkrehot
Region: Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 20, 2022
Observation date: Aug 19, 2022
Submitted by: Jim Lowe
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 19, 2022
Observation date: Aug 14, 2022
Submitted by: FeliciaMarie
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 18, 2022
Observation date: Aug 02, 2022
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Yancey County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 17, 2022
Observation date: Aug 14, 2022
Submitted by: WndrWmn
Region: Cecil County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 16, 2022
Observation date: Aug 09, 2022
Submitted by: EddieGarrity
Region: Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Aug 14, 2022
Observation date: Aug 09, 2022
Submitted by: Mendrola
Region: Page County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Aug 14, 2022
Observation date: Aug 12, 2022
Submitted by: anita stratton
Region: Chesapeake, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Aug 14, 2022
Observation date: Aug 12, 2022
Submitted by: RLS
Region: Monroe County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 12, 2022
Observation date: Aug 10, 2022
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 11, 2022
Observation date: Aug 11, 2022
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 11, 2022
Observation date: Aug 02, 2022
Submitted by: KABerry
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 09, 2022
Observation date: Jul 28, 2022
Submitted by: KABerry
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 09, 2022
Observation date: Aug 06, 2022
Submitted by: KABerry
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 09, 2022
Observation date: Aug 07, 2022
Submitted by: Carmel Mothersill
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 07, 2022
Observation date: Aug 07, 2022
Submitted by: Carmel Mothersill
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 07, 2022
Observation date: Aug 05, 2022
Submitted by: marina viotto
Region: Oconee County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 07, 2022
Observation date: Aug 03, 2022
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 03, 2022
Observation date: Jul 29, 2022
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Aug 02, 2022
Observation date: Jul 29, 2022
Submitted by: Lynn Ferris
Region: Dutchess County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 02, 2022
Observation date: Jul 30, 2022
Submitted by: Mebanite
Region: Alamance County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 31, 2022
Observation date: Jul 30, 2022
Submitted by: rebelfd
Region: Rensselaer County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 30, 2022
Observation date: Jul 28, 2022
Submitted by: jhdwelly
Region: Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 28, 2022
Observation date: Jul 23, 2022
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Pope County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 25, 2022
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