The Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) is the largest of all North American butterflies although female Tiger Swallowtails approach the same size.
Both male and female have dark brown wings with yellow markings, including a large horizontal yellow strip across the wings. The underside and body are mostly yellow.
Its size is typically in the 4.0" - 6.0" range.
This swallowtail ranges throughout much of the Eastern United States, and is less common in the American Southwest and southern California. It typically stays close to wooded areas, and close to the ground. In a typical year 2-3 broods are produced.
It can often be found in woodland areas and residential gardens.
Some of the favorite nectar plants of the Giant Swallowtail are Milkweed, Lantana, Butterfly Bush, Zinnias, and many others.
Favorite host plants include citrus, lime, Hercules Club (Zanthoxylum clava-herculis), prickly ash, citrus, lime, herb rue, hoptree, and wild lime.
Stage | Typical Duration |
Egg stage | Generally 4 to 10 days, depending on temperature and host plant |
Caterpillar (larval) stage | 3 to 4 weeks |
Chrysalis (pupal) stage | 10 to 20 days (except for overwintering pupae) |
Adult butterfly stage | 6 to 14 days |
A pair of Giant Swallowtail Butterflies feeding on Zinnias (8/7/2018)
Giant Swallowtail Butterfly
Giant Swallowtail Butterfly (8/5/2014)
Giant Swallowtail Butterfly competing for feeding time
Giant Swallowtail Butterfly, missing its right tail, feeding on purple Verbena
Giant Swallowtail Butterfly
Giant Swallowtail Butterfly
Giant Swallowtail Butterfly, close-up
A pair of Giant Swallowtail Butterflies
Giant Swallowtail Butterfly (ventral view) on purple Verbena
A pair of Giant Swallowtail Butterflies on orange Lantana
Giant Swallowtail on Pink Zinnia
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Giant Swallowtail without its left tail, resting in the shade of the woods
Giant Swallowtail doing a balancing act on a pink zinnia
Giant Swallowtail enjoying nectar
Giant Swallowtail caterpillar ... the "bird poop" caterpillar