Fauna Glossary
Spicebush Swallowtail
The Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus) is a fairly black swallowtail found in North America. It is the state butterfly of Mississippi.
Description
Adults can be identified by their spoon-shaped tails and by their bright green (male) or iridescent blue (female) hind-wings. Ivory spots may be visible on the forewings, and orange spots may appear on the hindwings. Wingspan may be 3 to 4 inches.
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Range
The Spicebush Swallowtail is found only in the Eastern US and extreme southern Ontario, with occasional strays in the American Midwest and even Cuba.
Habitat
This primarily black swallowtail is normally found in deciduous woods or woody swamps, where they can be found flying low and fast through shaded areas.
Life cycle
The caterpillars live in folded leaf shelters and eat the leaves of the sassafras or spicebush. Adults consume a variety of nectars, including those from azalea, Japanese honeysuckle, milkweed, and thistle flowers.
Both sexes are thought to be edible mimics of the distasteful Pipevine Swallowtail.
