Giant Swallowtail: Essential Guide for Butterfly Enthusiasts

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The Giant Swallowtail butterfly, scientifically known as Papilio cresphontes, is an impressive and captivating species of butterfly. With its striking appearance and large wingspan, which can reach up to 5.5 inches, it’s no wonder that these creatures have captured people’s attention and admiration.

Featuring dark brown wings adorned with yellow spots that form bands across the top, the Giant Swallowtail showcases unique and visually pleasing patterns. When resting with folded wings, light yellow colors can be seen along with blue and red dots on the undersides, giving observers a glimpse of their captivating beauty. These enchanting insects are known to lay their eggs on wild lime and citrus plants, making them a crucial part of their respective ecosystems source.

Giant Swallowtail Overview

Species and Distribution

The Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) is the largest butterfly in North America, boasting a wingspan of up to 6 inches. Its primary habitats range across the United States, stretching from Florida to California, and even reaching states like Kansas and New England. Outside the US, this species can be found in countries such as Cuba and Jamaica.

Habitat and Range

The Giant Swallowtail prefers habitats with citrus plants, mainly using wild lime for egg-laying. These butterflies can be spotted in a variety of environments, including gardens and wooded areas. Here’s a quick summary of their characteristics:

  • Distribution: Throughout the United States, as well as in Cuba and Jamaica
  • Primary habitat: Citrus plants, such as wild lime
  • Wingspan: Up to 6 inches

Wing Coloration:

  • Upper side: Dark brown with yellow spots forming bands
  • Underside: Light yellow with blue and red dots

When comparing the Giant Swallowtail with other related species, you can use the below table to spot differences.

  Giant Swallowtail Schaus’ Swallowtail
Wingspan Up to 6 inches 3.5 to 4.5 inches
Tail Color Yellow-filled All black
Ventral Hind Wing Colors Blue median band with red patch Blue median band without red patch

Physical Characteristics

Wingspan and Size

  • The Giant Swallowtail is the largest butterfly in the United States.
  • Its average wingspan ranges between 4 to 5.5 inches which makes it easy to recognize.

Coloration and Mimicry

Camouflage

  • One of the strategies Giant Swallowtail uses is mimicking bird droppings.
  • This is evident in their early larval stage when their white and brown saddle patterns give off an appearance of bird feces, deterring predators.

Adult Coloration

  • Giant Swallowtails exhibit bright yellow and black colors on their wings.
  • The ventral part of the hind wing showcases a small brick-red patch just interior to the blue median band1.

Comparison with other Swallowtails

Species Wingspan (inches) Color Details
Giant Swallowtail1 4-5.5 Yellow-filled tails, brick-red patch near blue median band, black and yellow wings
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail2 3-5.5 Yellow wings with bold black stripes, blue spots near the lower edge of the wing
Black Swallowtail3 2.5-3.5 Black wings with yellow, blue, orange, and red spots and edges

Life Cycle and Development

Eggs

The life cycle of the Giant Swallowtail begins with the female butterfly laying her eggs. Eggs are typically laid on the leaves of host plants, such as citrus trees. These eggs are:

  • Small and round
  • Light yellow-green in color
  • Laid singly or in small groups

Caterpillar Stage

Once the eggs hatch, the Giant Swallowtail caterpillars emerge and begin to feed on the leaves of the host plant. During this stage, they go through multiple larval instars, which are stages of development. Caterpillars possess a unique organ called the osmeterium that deters predators:

  • The osmeterium is a fleshy, forked structure
  • Found behind the head of the caterpillar
  • Releases a foul-smelling odor when threatened

Chrysalis and Pupa Stage

After reaching their final larval instar, Giant Swallowtail caterpillars enter the chrysalis and pupa stage. Here’s what happens during this stage:

  • The caterpillar forms a chrysalis, a hardened protective cover
  • This stage lasts between 10 to 20 days
  • Inside, the caterpillar undergoes metamorphosis, transforming into an adult butterfly

Adult Butterfly Stage

Upon emerging from the chrysalis, the fully developed Giant Swallowtail butterfly displays its beautiful and eye-catching features. Some of the defining characteristics of the adult butterfly include:

  • Largest butterfly in North America
  • Dark blackish-brown wings with yellow bands
  • Red patch on the ventral hindwing

Comparison of Giant Swallowtail Life Stage Features

Life Stage Duration Key Features
Eggs 4-10 days Small, round, light yellow-green in color
Caterpillar 3-4 weeks (varies) Osmeterium, multiple larval instars
Chrysalis and Pupa 10-20 days Protective cover, undergoes metamorphosis
Adult Butterfly 3-4 weeks (varies) Dark blackish-brown wings, yellow bands, red ventral patch

During their short adult life, Giant Swallowtails mate and lay eggs to continue the cycle. The entire butterfly life cycle typically takes around 6 to 8 weeks, but can vary depending on environmental factors and predation.

Behavior and Ecology

Feeding and Nectar Sources

Giant swallowtails feed on nectar from various plants. Some favorite nectar sources include:

  • Zinnias
  • Azaleas
  • Solidago
  • Lonicera japonica

In comparison, the Tiger Swallowtail and Spicebush Swallowtail prefer milkweed and tulip tree flowers.

Host Plants and Caterpillar Diet

Host plants of the Giant Swallowtail caterpillars are mainly in the Rutaceae family. Examples include:

  • Citrus
  • Prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum)
  • Hercules club
  • Common rue
  • Hoptree

With a preference for citrus plants, this sets the Giant Swallowtail apart from the Spicebush Swallowtail, which feeds on spicebush and tulip tree leaves in deciduous forests.

Defense Strategies and Predators

Giant Swallowtail butterflies and caterpillars have developed various defense strategies against predators like birds and snakes. Caterpillars resemble bird droppings, providing camouflage. Additionally, they possess an osmeterium, an organ that releases a foul-smelling substance when disturbed.

In contrast, the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, another swallowtail butterfly, displays mimetic coloration, with females resembling the poisonous Pipevine Swallowtail to deter predators.

Swallowtail Species Defense Strategy Example Predators
Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar camouflage, osmeterium Birds, snakes
Eastern Tiger Mimetic coloration Birds, snakes

Interaction with Humans and Environment

Giant Swallowtail as Pest

The Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) is known for its interactions with citrus trees, especially in citrus orchards that produce sweet oranges (Citrus × sinensis). Its caterpillars can feed on the leaves of lime pricklyash (Zanthoxylum fagara) and Zanthoxylum americanum Mill.

Another host for their caterpillars is Amyris elemifera. They are commonly referred to as orange dogs, due to their pest-like nature when feeding on citrus trees.

Pros:

  • Pollination of citrus flowers.

Cons:

  • Damage to citrus leaves and trees.

Conservation and Threats

Giant Swallowtails are not currently listed as endangered or threatened species. However, they share a similar habitat with the Schaus’ Swallowtail, which is an endangered species. Some factors affecting both species include:

  • Loss of habitat due to human development.
  • Pesticide use in citrus farms and gardens.
  • Climate change affecting the range and distribution of host plants.

Comparison: Giant Swallowtail vs Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Feature Giant Swallowtail Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Size Largest butterfly, wingspan up to 6 inches. Slightly smaller than Giant Swallowtail
Colors Black with yellow bands, tails filled with yellow, and a small red patch on ventral hindwing. Yellow with black stripes, blue spots with red underneath wings.
Habitat Citrus orchards, wooded areas, residential gardens, and farms. Wooded areas, open fields, gardens, and near streams.
Preferred host plants Citrus family, lime pricklyash, and Amyris elemifera. Wild cherry, tulip tree, and sweet bay.

To promote Giant Swallowtail populations, people can plant host plants, such as Zanthoxylum fagara and Amyris elemifera, along with nectar-producing flowers. Examples of nectar-producing flowers include Bougainvilla and Lantana. Planting these in gardens can help attract and support the Giant Swallowtail population.

Photography and Identification

The Giant Swallowtail, scientifically known as Papilio cresphontes, is a large and beautiful butterfly worth capturing in photographs. Here are some tips for photography and identifying this unique species.

  • To photograph giant swallowtails, look for them near their host plants, like the citrus trees they often inhabit.
  • Using a macro lens will help you capture the intricate details of their wings and body.

Identifying giant swallowtails can be achieved by examining their color and markings:

  • Wings are black with yellow markings near wing margins and spots forming a diagonal band across the forewings1.
  • Hindwings feature a yellow spot band, wide yellow basal band, small orange-capped black spot, and a spatulate tail with a yellow central teardrop2.

Comparison table: Giant Swallowtail vs. Schaus’ Swallowtail

Feature Giant Swallowtail Schaus’ Swallowtail
Tails Yellow-filled All black
Red patch Present, near blue median band on ventral hind wing3 Absent

Footnotes

  1. Source 2 3
  2. Source 2
  3. Source 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monarch

 

Butterflies

 

Snowberry Clearwing Caterpillar Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar

 

Authors

  • Bugman

    Bugman aka Daniel Marlos has been identifying bugs since 1999. whatsthatbug.com is his passion project and it has helped millions of readers identify the bug that has been bugging them for over two decades. You can reach out to him through our Contact Page.

    View all posts
  • Piyushi is a nature lover, blogger and traveler at heart. She lives in beautiful Canada with her family. Piyushi is an animal lover and loves to write about all creatures.

    View all posts
Tags: Giant Swallowtail

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14 Comments. Leave new

  • Here in Costa Rica we have caterpillars very similar to these as well, the only difference that I can see being that the “feelers” are more orangish here. I thought I’d add that the coloration seems to mimic two things at once. From afar, they look like bird droppings on a leaf. But up close the almost look like the head of a brown vine snake. When bothered, the bright red feelers mimic the forked tongue of a snake.

    Reply
    • Hi Sigg,
      The Giant Swallowtail ranges into Central America, so you might have the same species as this posting with some regional color variations, or perhaps it is a distinct subspecies.

      Reply
  • They are on my orange tree also just like the photo above !! We are from South Georgia .

    Reply
  • Seen this butterfly today.

    Reply
  • They are all over my satsuma tree right now! Southeast texas ! I came looking for info and found it! Thankyou

    Reply
  • Virginia White
    March 28, 2017 7:25 am

    Do the worms harm or eat the satsuma blossoms?

    Reply
  • Donald Dozier
    April 25, 2017 12:13 pm

    I live in south Alabama and I am having the same problem with my satsuma trees. These are the ugliest worms I ever seen. I have removed dozens from my trees. I never seen the butterfly only the worm and where he eat my tree leaves. Is there some way to stop them.

    Reply
  • Wendy McElroy
    June 12, 2018 2:46 pm

    I’m in South Alabama and just found 3 on my Meyer Lemon tree! I had no idea what they were til I found your page! I was curious how bad they would hurt my tree, but it seems from reading about them, they will not. It was quite a site when the osmeterium was exposed! I will certainly give up a few leaves for the sight of a Giant Swallowtail! Great page!

    Reply
  • I am in Houston Texas and found these on my lemon tree just this morning. Very interesting little things. They are still in a chrysalis (not sure of spelling or terminology here) stage and I am only finding 2 at the moment, will keep an eye out for more. anted to find out just how long they are in this stage so I can maybe film them coming out of it. I have to admit that the look of these at this stage is so wild, they look like a vicious little bug already.

    Reply
  • I just found these on my lemon tree this morning. They are in the chrysalis stage and brown and look like bird poop with a tiny little head. So far I am only seeing two but will keep looking daily for more. What is time on them emerging from the chrysalis? I would really like to film it. Also, I am trying to find out if these caterpillars sting? We have had some we had to learn to stay clear of and teach the babies too also.

    Reply

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