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 1 - 24 of 3285 verified sightings
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
Observation date: Jun 06, 2024
Submitted by: Leewida
Region: Montcalm County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Feb 27, 2025
Observation date: Jun 11, 2024
Submitted by: John429
Region: Jackson County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Feb 27, 2025
Observation date: Feb 23, 2025
Submitted by: John Gibbons
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 25, 2025
Observation date: Jun 20, 2021
Submitted by: Bberrio
Region: Morris County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 02, 2025
Observation date: Aug 16, 2024
Submitted by: PNAT24
Region: Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Dec 22, 2024
Observation date: Oct 04, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 05, 2024
Observation date: Aug 22, 2019
Submitted by: Donna Caporale
Region: Ocean County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 17, 2024
Observation date: Aug 22, 2024
Submitted by: Blond crestedwarbler
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 11, 2024
Observation date: Nov 09, 2024
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Nov 09, 2024
Observation date: Nov 01, 2024
Submitted by: marilynne
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 06, 2024
Observation date: Apr 22, 2014
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 18, 2024
Observation date: Aug 25, 2024
Submitted by: Mike L
Region: Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 14, 2024
Observation date: Sep 30, 2024
Submitted by: bentert
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 09, 2024
Observation date: Sep 23, 2024
Submitted by: COA1955
Region: Morgan County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Oct 07, 2024
Observation date: Sep 03, 2024
Submitted by: GLG
Region: Walton County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 03, 2024
Observation date: Oct 03, 2024
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 03, 2024
Observation date: Sep 03, 2024
Submitted by: COA1955
Region: Morgan County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 15, 2024
Observation date: Aug 25, 2024
Submitted by: Jeannine Izzarelli
Region: Windham County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 14, 2024
Observation date: Aug 23, 2024
Submitted by: COA1955
Region: Morgan County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 13, 2024
Observation date: Aug 27, 2024
Submitted by: Kentonky41015
Region: Kenton County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 29, 2024
Observation date: Aug 24, 2024
Submitted by: ebea
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 24, 2024
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