Complete Guide To The Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly
Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly
Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly Images
Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly Papilio troilus. Photograph taken by the author. Copyright Now I Wonder.
Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly Papilio troilus. Photograph taken by the author. Copyright Now I Wonder.
Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly Papilio troilus. Photograph taken by the author. Copyright Now I Wonder.
Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly Papilio troilus. Photograph taken by the author. Copyright Now I Wonder.
How To Identify Spicebush Swallowtail Butterflies
- Wingspan: 3.5 – 4.5 inches (8.9 – 11.4 cm)
- Males and females Spicebush Swallowtails are black butterflies that look similar and have:
- Above:
- A row of pale, blue-green spots along the margins of each wing.
- Blue-green patches on each hind wing.
- Patches are brighter blue on females.
- A single, bright orange spot on the center line of each hind wing.
- Above:
Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly Papilio troilus labelled with field marks that identify the species. Photograph taken by the author. Copyright Now I Wonder.
Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly Papilio troilus labelled with field marks that identify the species. Photograph taken by the author. Copyright Now I Wonder.
How To Find Spicebush Swallowtail Butterflies
- Flight Season: Adult Spicebush Swallowtails fly between early March to mid-October.
- Look for adults on flowers near forests and wooded swamps, especially on flowers of:
- Joe Pyeweed (Eutrochium purpureum)
- Honeysuckles like Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) and Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
- Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)
Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly Classification
- Also called the “Green-clouded Swallowtail” (Pyle 1981).
|
Phylum |
Arthropoda |
|
Class |
Insecta |
|
Order |
Lepidoptera |
|
Family |
Papilionidae (Swallowtail and Parnassian Butterflies) |
|
Genus |
Papilio |
|
Species |
P. troilus |
Binomial Name |
Papilio troilus |
