Eastern Giant Swallowtail (NPS Manassas National Battlefield Park Butterflies and Moths)

Eastern Giant Swallowtail

Heraclides cresphontes

Summary ⁶

The Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) is a swallowtail butterfly common in various parts of North America and marginally into South America (Colombia and Venezuela only). In the United States and Canada it is mainly found in the south and east. With a wingspan of about 10–16 cm (3.9–6.3 in), it is the largest butterfly in Canada and the United States.

Comprehensive description ⁷

The Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) is a large, mainly blackish brown and yellow swallowtail with a spoon-shaped "tail" on each hind wing. The end of each tail has a yellow center. The Giant Swallowtail occurs in a wide range of natural and disturbed habitats. Its geographic range extends across most of the eastern United States and adjacent Canada and south through the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America into South America. In the northern United States, it occurs only in scattered local colonies, but it is common to the south (Opler and Krizek 1984).

Lookalikes ⁸

The Giant Swallowtail somewhat resembles the very rare Schaus' Swallowtail (Papilio aristodemus ponceanus) of extreme southern Florida, but the larger Giant Swallowtail has yellow centers on its long hindwing tails (Schaus' has shorter, yellow-edged tails) and yellow bands on the forewing above that form an "X" near the wingtips (Brock and Kaufman 2003; Cech and Tudor 2005). These yellow forewing bands are noticeably broader in the Giant Swallowtail (Opler 1992). Below, Schaus' Swallowtail has a much larger rusty brown patch (Brock and Kaufman 2003; Cech and Tudor 2005). The sexes of Giant Swallowtail are similar, but male Schaus' Swallowtails have yellow antennal clubs (the females antennae are all dark).

The Thoas Swallowtail (Papilio thoas) is extremely similar to the Giant Swallowtail and cannot be reliably distinguished in the field. This species, whose larvae feed on Piper and a number of species in the citrus family (Rutaceae), is essentially Neotropical, but occurs rarely in extreme southern Texas and can stray north to Colorado and western Kansas. (Opler 1999; Brock and Kaufman 2003)

The Ornythion Swallowtail (Papilio ornythion), an essentially Central American citrus-feeding species that reaches extreme southern Texas (and occasionally strays to western Texas, southern New Mexico, and western Nebraska), lacks yellow in the tail centers and has yellow forewing bands that do not merge (Opler 1999). Habits and flight are similar to those of Giant Swallowtail (Brock and Kaufman 2003).

The Broad-banded Swallowtail (Papilio astyalus) is a citrus-feeding species ranging from Argentina to Mexico and rarely straying north to southern Arizona and southern Texas. Compared to the Giant Swallowtail, the male has a broader yellow forewing band, a small yellow spot in forewing cell, and narrow all-black tails. (Opler 1999)

Habitat ⁹

Comments: Breeds in a great variety of habitats with suitable native or non-native Rutaceae (including citrus groves) and adults may wander into gardens.

Behaviour ¹⁰

Adults feed at a variety of sources. Males patrol for females (Scott, 1986).

Life cycle ¹¹

Young Giant Swallowtail caterpillars rest on leaves, while later instars (developmental stages) rest on small branches. Most feeding occurs at night. Instars vary in appearance, but all show disruptive color patterns that make them resemble (to humans and very likely to birds as well) bird droppings (Opler and Krizek 1984).

Reproduction ¹²

In the U.S., Giant Swallowtails have two broods per year in the north (May-June and July-early September), and at least two or three broods in the Deep South (Cech and Tudor 2005). Adults are flying year round in southern Florida, most of the year in the Deep South, and from spring to fall farther north (Brock and Kaufman 2003).

Taxonomy ¹³

Comments: Placed in genus HERACLIDES by Miller and Brown (1981).

Sources and Credits

(c) Brian Peterson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/92824172@N00/485711175
(c) Stepanka Nemcova, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.biolib.cz/IMG/GAL/57723.jpg
(c) 2011 Bill Stagnaro, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=368507&one=T
(c) Mary Keim, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4921111125_f5b936f41e.jpg
(c) Mary Keim, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4899799828_d26a40fef1.jpg
Adapted by Allie Hay from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraclides_cresphontes
Adapted by Allie Hay from a work by (c) Shapiro, Leo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/17763341
Adapted by Allie Hay from a work by (c) Shapiro, Leo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/11289417
Adapted by Allie Hay from a work by (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28748617
Adapted by Allie Hay from a work by (c) Leslie Ries, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/17780188
Adapted by Allie Hay from a work by (c) Shapiro, Leo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/11289422
Adapted by Allie Hay from a work by (c) Shapiro, Leo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/11289423
Adapted by Allie Hay from a work by (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28748605

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